Fallen Crown
by JamRax
Summary: Shattered past and altered futures. A prince trying to fulfill his promise goes on a journey to be the greatest hero the world could ever imagine, all while trying to figure out who he is. This is the story of Shiro Tatsugami.
1. Level 1 Rouge

"Ok, I can do this! I just have to stay stealthy!" A boy said as he readied his twin daggers.

With a swift motion, the brown haired boy sprung up from out of the bushes and straight for his target.

"CROSS-CUT!!!" The boy shouted with determination.

The blades sliced deep within the thick skin of the creature. The beast hissed with pain and swung wildly with rage.

"Damn it! It activated its hidden ability." The boy muttered. The green monster charged recklessly at the boy, growling with hatred. "C'mon ya big bastard!" Before the boy could unleash his attack, a large blade was plunged deep within the throat of the beast, causing it to bleed out.

"Too slow ya rookie!" A man with silver plated armor said to the boy.

"That was my kill! MINE!" The boy shouted. "What are you even doing here Vance? Aren't you level 5 already?! Go to your own zone and let me level up!"

"No way kid. I'm saving you all the trouble and slaying the BattleBeast myself." Vance said.

"No, you're just keeping other heroes from advancing. You're a cheater!" The boy said.

"What did you say?! Just because you're from Hazen Reach doesn't mean jack shit. You're still just a little level 1 kid. You're never going to be a hero like me." Vance said.

"Fine! If you don't wanna piss off, then I challenge you to a fight! I'll show you not to mess with me!" The boy said.

"I'm level 5 ya little shit. I'll crush you." Vance said with pride.

"Go ahead and try." The boy replied.

Vance lifted his broadsword to the sky. "I am Vance Elliott! Level 5 Brute."

"I'm Shiro Tatsugami! Level 1 Rogue!"

"CLASH!!!" Both said in unison.

Shiro wasted no time running up to Vance, sending his multiple, rapid slashes all over his body. Vance parried most of Shiro's attacks and decided to counter.

"Overhead Slash!" Vance lifted his sword and brought it down swiftly towards Shiro. Shiro narrowly evade Vance's special move by side stepping. Shiro pushed off of the ground and sent Vance a vicious double kick to the chest, knocking him back. "Not bad for a level 1 Rogue."

"Quit talking! This is a fight!" Shiro yelled as he sprinted at Vance.

Vance smirked and prepared for a counter strike. "That's it. Keep running to me."

Once Shiro had closed the distance, he slid underneath Vance's legs, avoiding his second attempt at an Overhead Slash. Once behind him, Shiro had jumped up and spun himself around in the air giving Vance a bone breaking 540 kick to the back of the head. Vance had stumbled to the ground. "You shouldn't underestimate me because of my level. You're weak, regardless of the trash you talk." Shiro said. He then turned around and began to walk away. "Stay outta my way. I'm gonna be a hero just like I promised her...and then I'll go back and save her along with the rest of my home." Shiro said to himself.

"A hero huh? Don't make me laugh kid. You're no hero. You're just a lost kid that doesn't know what to do with himself." Vance chuckled. "Hazen Reach is gone and you aren't gonna save it you little bastard!"

"..." Shiro turned around and faced Vance. His green eyes now a deep shade of red. He stared at Vance with hatred. "Don't tell me what I can and can't save."

"They all died. You're just a lucky little shit that got sparred. You ain't gonna save shit in this world." Vance said cracking up as he got off of the ground.

"Cross-Cut!" Shiro ran up to Vance with his arms crossed. When he got in reach, he slashed Vance with an "X" shaped motion, effectively splitting his face open. Vance dropped to the floor dead with his face opened like a fruit. Shiro turned away from Vance's corpse and went on to go search for any BattleBeast.

-TWO MONTHS AGO-

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Shiro that's not fair! You went twice!" Said a small girl.

"No I didn't. I just made you think that I went twice." I said. The little girl pouted and looked away from me.

"Why don't we go do something else instead Maddie." I offered to the little girl.

"Are we gonna do more hero training?!" Maddie asked excited.

"That's the plan." I said to her as we left the chess board.

"Did you go on any cool adventures while you were away?" She asked me.

I felt a pang in my freaking chest when she asked that. I knew she hated when I left her, and I hated lying to her when she asked about this "hero" life. I wasn't a hero, far from it, but I didn't want to tell my little sister that I was nothing more than a thief, a criminal that has to constantly get bailed out of prison by their father. I wouldn't be able to withstand the thought of her hating me.

"Uh, yeah. I slayed bad guys and evil BattleBeast. Took out an undead army single-handedly, fought killer fish people, kissed a mermaid and made a dragon my best friend." I said to her.

My sister looked like she was gonna explode. "WHAT! NO WAY! THAT'S INSANE SHIRO!!!"

Truth is, I always wanted to be the hero that everyone looked up to, the one that people cheer for when they see you. The knight in shining armor. The symbol of peace...but instead, I end up in a cell for something stupid and our father has to bail me out. I can get off the hook given the fact that the King of Hazen Reach is my father. I probably stress him out though.

"Shiro!" Maddie snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I responded.

"What's wrong with the sky?" She asked. I looked up confused until I saw what she was talking about. Surely enough, the sky was red. I could see a skeletal dragon flying in the distance. My eyes widened. I scooped up Maddie and ran to the throne room. "Shiro what's going on?!" Maddie asked with a scared look.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." I said to her.

"Is it the bad people again? The people that hurt mom…" She asked. That question hit me bad. I won't ever forget that day. I was such a damn coward! "Shiro!" I was once again snapped outta my thoughts.

"Y-yeah Maddie?" I asked as we neared the throne room.

"Daddy can't beat the red man again. He's not like he was before, right?" She asked.

"...Right...he is different than before…" Dad was much weaker this time. He can't use any of his abilities and is much older. He can barely use his massive sword.

"...You can beat the bad guys, right? You do it all the time!" She said happily. If only she knew how wrong she was. "You…you are gonna beat them right?" She asked.

"Shiro!" She shouted

"Huh?"

"You're gonna be the hero and save Hazen Reach, right?" She questioned.

"Yeah...of course." I should've told her the truth right there.

"You promise?" She asked. Why did she have to ask that?

"…yeah... I promise." I shouldn't have made that promise. I should have told her the truth, but yet again I was a coward and I knew it too.

Once we had entered the throne room, that was when my life changed completely and I knew that I wanted to make her proud of me. I was going to be a Hero!

-PRESENT-

"CROSS-CUT" I shouted at my opponent. I slice the beast easily with my daggers. I sheathed my blades and checked my stats on my ID. I was finally level 5. I had unlocked a new skill as well. I nodded and put away my ID. I brought out my map and checked it for my destination. "Rai Town is still a good ways north. I could probably make it there by sun down." I stuffed the map back in my bag and continued forward.

-THREE HOURS LATER-

I had finally reached Rai Town. It wasn't anything special, just a plain old town. The people seemed pretty friendly though. I had looked at the various shops. Most of which were closing for the night. I walked around the town looking for an Inn or at least and old shack to stay the night. I stumbled upon and place call Cozy Oaks Inn. I stepped inside and right away was greeted by beautiful blonde girl. Her icy blue eyes looked into my jade colored ones.

"Hello, and welcome to Cozy Oaks Inn. My name is Hannah." She said to me.

I rested my arm on the counter and grinned at her. "Hello my sweet. I'm Shiro, and yes I'm single." I said flashing her a smile. "I'm new in town, ya know? Mind showing a guy a good time?" I wiggled my brows like an idiot. "You run this place alone, right? Tough job for a pretty babe like yourself." I said to her as I moved in closer.

"Oh, no. My husband and I run it together. He is usually helping the blacksmith right across the street." She said with a giggle.

"Husband?!" I asked loudly. Just then, a tall brown skinned male walked in. The dude had muscles on his muscles. He brushed past me, knocking me to the floor.

"Hello dearest." He said as they locked lips in front of my eyes. Damn this was messed up. Once they parted, the man looked at me with an intimidating stare. "Who's the wimp?"

"Oh this is Shiro. He's new in town and needs a place to stay." Hannah said.

"Oh uh...n-no that's fine I'll just-"

"You can sleep in room three." The big man said.

"... That's really not necess-"

"GO TO YOUR ROOM AND SLEEP, BOY! I'M TRYING TO CANOODLE MY WIFE!" The man shouted.

"OK, OK...Damn!" I said back to him.

I quickly got upstairs to my room. I dropped my bag and flopped onto the bed. First time in a while since I used one of these. The amount of stress I went through up to this point plus the comfort of the bed put me to sleep instantly. I finally made it to Rai Town though. And they say that this is where the greatest heroes start.


	2. The Art of Hunting

(SHIRO'S POV)

The sunlight gave me one hell of a wake up slap. I was up bright and early in the morning and ready to get my quest on. I changed out of my hoodie and pants. I threw on my sleeveless leather padded under armour and slipped on my lightweight armor plating. It was pretty shitty gear but it was better than nothing. I opened my room door and headed down stairs. Hannah was cleaning up the place. She looked over her shoulder and waved.

"Good morning Shiro. How'd you sleep?" She asked.

"Best nights sleep I had in awhile. Thanks!" I replied.

"That's good." She then resumed her cleaning.

"Oh wait I thought I should ask you if you knew where the House of Mentors is." I told her.

"It's next to the big tower on the east side of town. Just head left from Gordon's Blacksmith." Hannah said.

"Ok, thanks. I'll see you around." I said as I made my departure.

As I stepped outside of the Inn, I noticed that Hannah's husband and a ginger haired man were speaking in front of the blacksmith place. I looked at my old worn out daggers.

"I could use an upgrade…" I muttered to myself.

I walked over to the two men and they took notice of my presence.

"Aye! Who be this young lad, Flint?" The ginger asked.

"Just some newbie in town. Was sleeping at the Inn." Flint said.

"I'm Shiro Tatsugami, and I'm a level 5 rogue!" I said grinning.

"Aye! So you be the sneaky type." Ginger guy said.

"Sure am!" I said.

"Well then you'd best watch ye'self boy. The people of Rai Town don't welcome thieves!" The man snapped.

"Chill out dude! I'm a hero!" I told him.

"You be no hero. You have yet to demonstrate that to me along with anyone else in the town." The ginger pressed on.

Flint nodded. "Gordon's right boy. You've got to prove yourself."

"Wait, you're Gordon?!" I said pointing to the redhead. "I need a favor from you." I brought out my daggers and showed them to Gordon. "I need a new set of daggers, dude." I told him.

"Aye! They do be a bit...worn…" He said.

"So you'll fix them?" I asked smiling.

"No." Gordon said

"No? What do you mean no? Why not?" I asked, dropping my smile.

"I only craft tools for heroes, not thieving, kids." He said.

"I am a hero!" I said back.

"Where be your proof?" Gordon asked.

"I...uh...damn…" I said snapping my fingers. "Fine, I'll be back! Have those daggers ready too because I'm gonna be a hero when I return." I took off to the east side of the town and ended up tripping over something.

"Watch it douchebag!" I heard a voice say to me.

"...Who said that?" I looked down and saw a wolf looking at me with narrowed eyes.

"I did jackass! You'd best watch yourself!" He growled.

"Damn, my bad." I got up and took off towards the House of Mentors. When I stepped inside, I saw seven people. Three looked my age and the other four were older. They all seemed to stop their conversations and looked at me.

"Who the hell is that?" Said a woman with a cloak, spinning her knife.

"I would like to know the answer to that question as well." Said a white haired woman with an angelic looking staff.

"My name is Shiro Tatsugami! I'm here to be a hero."

"Oh really now? What's your class and level, kid?" The well armoured man said. I took note of the scar on the side of his pale eye.

"Rogue, level 5, sir!" I said boldly.

Everyone in the room looked at the cloaked woman. She had stopped spinning her knife and stabbed it into the wall. "A rogue huh?" With lightning fast speed, she zipped right in front of me. "Interesting…What brings you here kid?" She asked.

"Like I said, I wanna be a hero. I came here to seek a mentor." I said.

"Well then it looks like we have a guest. I suppose introductions are in order." The brown skinned woman said. "I'm Xena, a level 40 mage."

"I'm Tazorac, level 40 warrior." The scar guy said.

"I am Amora, a level 40 Healer." The white haired woman said.

"And I'm Eliza, level 40 rogue." Eliza took off the hood of her cloak, showing her short black hair. If she wasn't so intimidating, I might've said she was hot as shit...but I like breathing so…

"These are our apprentices." Tazorac said as he gestured towards the three teens. Tazorac placed his hand on the girl next to him. "This is my apprentice, Gabriella Vasquez, level 8 warrior." I never thought a girl with that much armor could still look that good. She had long brown hair that went down to her back.

"Damn! What's up Gabby." I said smoothly. It was funny, her face had such soft features that contrast with her sharp, heavy looking armor. "Just so you know, I would love it if you taught me some things." Before I could finish my weak attempt at flirting, a large sword slammed down in front of me.

"She's also my niece?" Tazorac said, glaring. Gabriella scoffed at this and folded her arms.

"And I have officially been curbed…" I said lamely.

Next up was the mage lady, and her blonde haired apprentice. The blonde guy extended his hand out to me. "Clyde Yukio. Level 7 mage. Top of my class in terms of raw intelligence. I'm training to be a Grand Spellcaster!"

Not gonna lie, dude kinda creeped me out. Not sure why but I felt like he was somehow trying to size me up. I shook his hand firmly. "Right…" I said back.

"Judging by the intense look in your eyes, the hitch in your voice and the grip you have on my hand, I'd make a clean guess that you don't trust me." Clyde said.

"Wow, really? What gave it away?!" I asked sarcastically.

"I just told you." He responded.

"... Freaking smartass…" I muttered.

I turned to the last apprentice. She had her head down, avoiding my gaze on her. I noticed that she had neck length lavender colored hair.

"Hey." I said offering a friendly smile.

"...H-hi...my n-name is... Isabel Yang…" She said with a bow. "L-level 4 healer…"

"Heheh, no need to be so tensed up. I'm a cool guy once you get to know me." I said with my usual grin.

"...R-really?" She asked as she looked up. Her wide golden eyes made me lose myself for a moment. She was cute as hell. WHAT'S WITH THIS GODDAMN TOWN?!

"Yeah! I could use some friends and having a healer would be awesome!" I shouted. I noticed her perk up at that.

"O-ok...Sh-Shiro...I...wouldn't mind th-that." She said as she nodded.

I smiled as I stared at her. She blushed heavily and looked away. As I looked at her, something caught me off guard. I couldn't believe I didn't notice. "HOLY SHIT!!! OH MY GOD!!!" I screamed.

"What is it Shi-" Tazorac started.

"THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST BOOBS I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE! JESUS CHRISTMAS!" I yelled with glee. I didn't notice the deadly silence of the room or the complete redness of Isabel's face. "Damn Izzy, why didn't you tell me you were packing heat like that?!" I asked the poor girl as I gave one a quick squeeze. "They're so soft too!"

- **WHAAAAAAM!!!** -

I was sent crashing into a wall due to the harsh punch that Gabby sent me. My head was spinning all over the place.

"What kinda sick pervert are you?!" Gabby asked.

I stood up regaining my composure. "It was a compliment! She's not just cute, she's freaking amazing with that rack of hers." I said back to her.

"Alright alright, cut it out. The meet and greet is over. Shiro you're coming with me." Eliza said to me.

"Where to?" I asked.

"To the hunting grounds. You're gonna learn what it is to be a rogue." She continued.

"Yes! Finally!" I said. I looked back at the other three teens. "Screw you Clyde." I told him while giving him the finger. "Gabby... I'd still smash…" Tazorac looked like he wanted to rip my head off. "And Izzy…I think I love you-" I was stopped mid sentence by Eliza yanking my collar and dragging me out.

-TWENTY FIVE MINUTES LATER-

"Well, here we are. The old hunting grounds. This is where your gonna be trained to fight like the stealthiest of rogues. In order to understand the concept, I'm going to have to do one thing to kick of your training." Eliza spoke.

"And what's that?" I asked.

"To come back to this spot, and bring back a rabbit, a deer and finally, a bear." She told me.

"...Like to eat?!" I asked.

"Yep." She said, nonchalantly.

"Ok rabbit, light work. Deer, tough but manageable. BUT A FREAKING BEAR! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT?!" I asked frantically.

"Not sure...Good luck though." She then vanished from sight, leaving me with my unfortunate task.

"Damn it!" I muttered angrily as I ran off into the deep woods of the hunting grounds.

As I ran, I saw my first target. It was a white rabbit minding its own business. It was cutely nibbling on a carrot stick. I dropped my breathing and silently creeped up to the poor creature. I brought out one of my daggers. Sorry about this…

- **STAAAABBB!!!** -

I had thought about what I had just done. I just murdered an animal for no reason. How is this being a hero?! As I went to go pick up the dead animal, a shadow had ran past me, snatching away the one rabbit that I saw.

"What the hell!" I said startled.

I had decided to give up on my first objective and go on the hunt for my second one. I decided to take the high ground this time in order to find a deer to kill. I searched throughout the dense ass forest. My eyes landed on a deer getting his drink on by a stream. It still seemed occupied by its need for a drink. I slowly climbed to the edge of the branch. I flung one of my daggers at the stream. The dagger splashed the water onto the deer, frightening it into running towards me. When it was at a good distance, I lept off of the tree a sunk my corny ass dagger into its neck, bringing it down. I yanked my blade out and sheathed it. "Sorry dude, I had to do it." I was starting to feel really remorseful about all this. I went up to the nearby stream and dived in. The water actually felt kinda good. I looked for a bit until I had finally found my other dagger. I resurfaced and swam back to land. When I had walked up to where the deer was, I was confused. The deer was gone but in its place was and arrow in the dirt, pointing north. I decided to follow the arrow north in hopes of finding my thief.

I had stumbled upon a forest clearing, with three fallen trees, but that wasn't the weird part. There was a big grizzly bear stuck underneath the three trees. Two cubs scratching at the back of the trees in hopes of freeing what I assumed was their mama. The mama bear continued to roar for help and the cubs mimicked her crys.

"...Damn it!" I muttered to myself as I ran over to the bear with my daggers out.

As much as I wanted to pass my training, I couldn't leave the bear family to struggle like this. I ran up to the first tree and slammed my dull daggers into it. I gave a hefty push but it wouldn't budge. I tried to punch it but that didn't help either. Ok time to try a special move. I yanked out my daggers and backflipped away from the tree. I ran over to it as I crossed my arms.

"CROSS-CUT!!!" I shouted as I shattered the first tree. I ran up to the second and third tree and repeat the same process. The trees were destroyed but I at least freed the bear. The three bears tackled me and gave me a series of licks. It was both adorable and horrifying. Once they got off I waved them goodbye.

"Not bad...not bad at all." Said a familiar voice.

I turned around and saw the talking wolf from earlier. "What are you doing here?!"

"Just came by to help the bears but you seemed to handle it pretty well yourself." He replied.

"Yeah... I guess I did!" I said proudly.

"What you did was a good thing. Don't ever forget how that felt." The wolf said as he turned away. "Oh and thanks for the food." With that, he lunged into the air leaving me both confused, proud, and salty.


	3. My Motives

(SHIRO'S POV)

The sun was setting and I had not one of the animals the I was supposed to bring back. My first day of training and I was already off to a terrible start.

I reached the entrance to the hunting grounds where I started and was greeted by Eliza. She was lounging on a rock.

"So...how did you do?" She asked.

"...Well you see-" I started but she held her hand up and silenced me.

"Relax, I was watching the whole time. You did good in terms of killing your prey, but the securing the kill was the bad part. You do get some points for saving the Grizzly bear though." She said.

"I thought you wanted me to kill it." I told her with a raised brow.

"The point of this exercise wasn't to just slaughter some animals. It was to show me how you operated on stealthy missions and to test your resolve. Your confrontation with the bear only made it more clear to me that you've got the determination that it takes to be a hero." She said.

"Well alright then! What's next?!" I asked with excitement.

"Well for now, we're gonna head back to the House of Mentors. Your test is over." She said.

-FEW MINUTES LATER-

Eliza and I had stepped inside the house and walked up to the others. I noticed that Isabel's face was red and Gabby scoffed at me. Clyde was nose deep within a book. Eliza walked up to the other mentors. I walked next to the apprentices and greeted them.

"Hey guys." I said to them.

"...H-hi…" Isabel said looking away from me. Ok maybe I was a tad bit too friendly. I just couldn't help myself though.

"Greetings…" Clyde said, unenthusiastically. What a dick…

I looked at Gabby, hoping for some kind of response. All she did was roll her eyes and walk away.

"What's her deal?" I asked.

"She's a serious person that has gone through a lot of pain. She lost a lot recently." Clyde said.

"Yeah well so have I. She doesn't have to be such a bitch about it." I said a little louder than I meant to.

"Who's a bitch?" Tazorac asked. I jumped up with surprise.

"Uh...um...Clyde is!" I shouted quickly.

Clyde narrowed his eyes at me and shook his head. "He said Gabriella was a... female dog."

"Wow... You're such a freaking snitch!" I said to Clyde with a glare.

Tazorac looked at me. For a second, I thought he was going to rearrange my entire existence, but he instead just sighed. "Listen kid, my niece has been through a lot during these past months. She lost her parents and her home so before you-"

"Tazorac, I don't need you telling him anything about me! He's irrelevant and has nothing to do with my life." She snapped.

The two began to argue and before things got outta hand, Xena stepped in. "Ok, that's it! Everyone out back. Now!" She demanded. We all did as we were told and ended up out back. We all took a seat in a circle. "Ward of Flames. Fireball!" She shouted as she hurled the fiery spell at a log, creating a campfire. "Now since we're all a team now, why don't we share our motives and goals for the future." Xena spoke. "The mentors will begin first starting with me."

"Ok, that sounds interesting." I said.

"I was born as the daughter of Dex, a legendary Spellcaster that was able to stop evil with a simple wave of his hand. He was strong but craved more in life than just magic so with a very complex form of magic, he was able to create life. His creations being me and my two brothers Xeno and Xeto. Together, we would all live up to our father. That is my reason for bettering myself." Xena said to us. She must be strong as hell.

It was the healer Amora's turn to share her story. "I was born the daughter of an Oracle. Growing up I was taught to heal those that were hurt. To cleanse people of evil actions. I loved the idea of healing wounds instead of creating them. It gives me purpose in this world of violence." Her words were so damn genuine and selfless. Spoken like a hero.

Eliza stepped up next as she cleared her throat. "As a little girl, I was taught to fend for myself. To survive at all costs, so with determination and a little luck, that's what I did. I didn't choose to be on the path of a Rogue. It just came to me. I enjoyed the thrill I got from near death experiences, the rush from being on the run, but most of all, kicking the ass of anything that threatened the innocent." Damn was her story gripping as hell!

Tazorac finally stepped up. "I remember running around as a kid with my older brother and playing knights and dragons with him. The day we both became warriors, was the day we had dreamed of. We saved lives, slayed BattleBeast, fought armies. Then the attack on our home happened. We fought against the hundreds of demonic soldiers, fought for hours upon end, but the enemies just kept on flooding inside of the kingdom. As my brother and I got tired, we began to get overwhelmed to the point that we could barely stand." As Tazorac spoke, I noticed that Gabby got more and more depressed. "That day, I lost my brother, my sister in law, my wife...and...my only son…" I saw a tear drop down Tazorac's one good eye. "Thousand of soldiers died during that day, thousands of citizens were wiped out. Only about four percent of the occupants of Hazen Reach survived the attack. That day will be forever remembered as the Red Death." My eyes widened at Tazorac's word. He was their, fighting for the city. I was stunned to say the least. "King Warren and Princess Madeleine were found dead underneath inside of the destroyed castle. Nobody knows what happened to the Prince Shiro. He was assumed to be dead but his body wasn't found." With every word he spoke, I felt a constant feeling of sorrow and guilt.

"Damn. Ain't it funny how Shiro has the same name?" Eliza said with a grin.

"That is quite peculiar. What was the price like, Tazorac?" Clyde asked.

"Nobody knows. The prince was never really seen with the royal family. He was a mystery." Tazorac answered. I tried to calm myself down and relax.

"Well if you ask me, the "prince" was a freaking joke. He was probably off hiding somewhere instead of trying to help his people." Gabby said. I was starting to lose myself.

"That does seem likely to be the truth. Why was he so absent from his family's affairs?" Clyde chimed in.

"He was a goddamn coward Clyde! He couldn't even be their to help his family for Christ sake-" I jumped up, cutting off Gabby's annoying ass words.

"I TRIED!" I shouted. Their words finally sunk in, and it got to me. "YOU THINK I DIDN'T TRY?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO SAVE THEM! I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO SAVE THE KINGDOM! WHICH IS MORE THAN I COULD SAY YOU DID! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WENT THROUGH! I WISH I COULD TURN BACK THE CLOCK, BUT I CAN'T! I DECIDED TO MOVE ON AND FULFILL MY PROMISE, SO YOU CAN JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" I didn't notice the tears flowing down my eyes until I began to simmer down. I dropped back to the ground and began to hold my gaze down, avoiding eye contact.

"...S-shiro...-" Isabel started.

"Just keep sharing…I don't care anymore." I told her.

Isabel sighed and looked at the group. She took a deep breath before she spoke. "I...was an orphan when I was little. I d-didn't think I... would ever have a family. I was alone for a long time but soon, I was adopted by a p-priestess. I watched the way she would use her magic to heal others. It was... amazing and I wanted to be just like her. To help others and to save...l-lives." Isabel spoke. Her words plus he soft, cute voice almost made me forget the turmoil I was having with myself.

She sat down and look at me with a small smile. I smiled back at her a gave a thumbs up.

Clyde stepped up and straighten himself out. "I'm going to be the world's best Spellcaster. I'm going to show the world that I have what it takes! I've been trying to be a mage since I was just a little kid. Now that I'm in training, it's only a matter of time before my magic abilities are unmatched, and once they are, I'm gonna be the best hero this world has ever seen!" I chuckled a bit at his words. Soon my chuckles turned into laughter. Everyone looked at me with confusion. "What's so comical?!" Clyde asked.

"Sorry dude, but I have to be the best hero. Maybe you could be second best, but I'm gonna be number one." I said.

"... Idiot…" Clyde muttered to me.

"Well then, I suppose that we all know a little bit more about each other so why don't we all head inside and get some sleep." Xena said.

"Wait. I get to sleep here?!" I asked Eliza.

"You are my student now so...yeah!" She said with a grin.

We all headed back to the house. Eliza pointed me to a room that I'd have to share with Clyde. Clyde and I walked down the hall, both looking at each other with narrowed eyes. "This was my room first so you get the floor." Clyde said.

"What about guest hospitality?" I asked.

"I left you a blanket and an old pillow." He retorted.

"Gee thanks buddy. I feel so damn lucky." I groaned out sarcastically. When we got to the room I automatically was disgusted. "Aww dude! What the hell?!"

"What is your problem. The room is tidy and neat. Everything is in perfect order." Clyde responded.

"It's not that! It's the amount of freaking books in here!" I shouted.

Clyde rubbed his temples and sighed with frustration. "They are my spell books. I must memorize each spell in order to increase my magical powers." Clyde explained.

I rolled my eyes. "That sounds boring as hell!" I said to him.

"Well luckily, YOU don't have to read them."

I walked over to one of the book shelves and picked one up. "Dude, this book isn't in English. Where the subtitles at?" I asked him. Clyde snatched the book from me and placed it back on the shelf.

"That's because it's written in words only those with magical experience can comprehend. Your mind has not been awoken."

"Big whoop. Oh look at me. I'm Clyde and I know some stupid words because I'm a magician!" I said mockingly.

Clyde grit his teeth. "Number one, I am a Mage. Magicians are for cheap, parlor tricks, not for combat. Number two, Spell of Influence, SLUMBER!" He shouted.

"What the hell did you say-" Before I knew it, I was asleep.

-NEXT MORNING-

I woke up on the floor in an awkward position. I had cramps and aches all over my body. I lifted myself off of the ground and stretched out my body. I thought back to last night and how I ended up on the floor.

"...Clyde…" I hissed.

He wasn't on the bed so I busted the room door open to see Gabby standing there. I took note on what she was wearing. Those short shorts had me pitching a tent if you know what I mean. I was was confused about why she was there so I asked. "Uh...hey…what's up?" I said awkwardly.

"Yeah...hey, so look, Tazorac said we should talk. I told him it was a bad idea and that you wouldn't even consider it, given the way that I have been treating you." She said.

"Ok. Let's talk then." I said.

"What?!" She said surprised.

"Look. Your from Hazen Reach. I'm from Hazen Reach. It only makes sense, right?" I told her.

"Yeah I guess. What do we talk about though?" She asked.

"Well, I have some stuff to get off my chest anyway so I'll start." I took a deep breath and looked at her. "As you could probably guess, I was the prince of Hazen Reach. I was next in line to take the throne along with the inheriting of my father's powers. Only problem was...I never got the power that I needed to protect Hazen Reach. I tried to find any source of power that I could use but nothing worked…until I stole one of the Shards of Sithilum. I obtained powers that I still have yet to unlock by consuming the shard. The shard was priceless, and was locked up tightly. I almost died trying to get it, but I did. The price for it the was some hefty jail time. I was freed given the fact that my dad was the king but my father would be forever disgraced by my actions...Then the Red Death happened and I lost my dad and my…my sister." I explained to her. She was looking at me with an unreadable expression.

"I never would have guessed that the prince stole the sacred shard of Hazen Reach. That's some next level shit." Gabby replied.

"Yeah... I made my share of mistakes but I made a promise and I intend to keep it." I told her.

She nodded in response to my statement. "... Tazorac and I lost a lot after the Red Death as well. He's a broken man but he always tries to do right by me. All we really had were each other. After the attack, Tazorac met up with his old crew. We've been here ever since."

"We've both lost a lot...but who knows. Maybe something good can come from all of this." I said to her.

"I want to believe that Shiro. I really do, but…" She began trailing off. I understood how she felt though. Losing people you care about is never easy.

"You don't have to say anymore Gabriella. I know."

"Yeah...so…" She started awkwardly.

"We good?" I asked her.

"I guess so. Just lay off on the annoying, pervert crap and we might actually get along." She said with a grin.

"Sorry Gabby, but a man likes what he likes and I LOVE me some sexy ladies." I said wiggling my brows at her. She rolled her eyes at me and gave me a playful shove.

"Clyde was right. You are an idiot." She said laughing.

I chuckled at this but then realization struck me. I almost forgot about that bastard! I ran straight past Gabby and right down stairs.

"CLYDE!!! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!!!"


	4. I'm Bored, You're Bored

(SHIRO'S POV)

-THREE WEEKS LATER-

I was sitting outside with Isabel and Clyde watching Gabby training with Tazorac. The two of them clashed their swords together and with each strike, sparks flew out. Tazorac wasn't even trying while Gabby was practically exhausted.

"C'mon Gabby! Kick Taz's ass!" I shouted at her. Taz sent her a nasty kick to the gut, doubling her over.

"Ok Gabriella, that's enough for today." Tazorac said.

"No. I'm fine! I can still fight." She said.

"No! I said that was enough for today." Tazorac said more firmly.

Gabby lowered her head and went to go take a seat near me. I looked at her with a sympathetic smile. "Hey. You lasted longer than I did with Eliza."

She looked at me questioningly. "What do you mean. What happened in the woods?"

I shuddered at my vicious training. Dodging knives, arrows and tripwires...it sucked. "Nothing I wanna repeat."

"You two have it easy! I got burned all over my body after Xena was done with me." Clyde said scoffing.

"Whatever dude! Eliza is freaking everywhere. I can't hide from her no matter how hard I try." I said hysterically.

"That's how I felt about Tazorac when he first started to train me." Gabby said.

The three of us began to spark up a bunch of random conversations to pass the time. While we were talking I had noticed Isabel in the background sitting alone. I walked over to her while Clyde and Gabby had been engaged in a heated debate.

" What's up Izzy?" I asked her.

"Oh it's n-nothing Shiro. I'm just thinking about some things." She replied.

I sat down next to her and grinned. "Well, what's on your mind?" I asked.

"W-well...I uh...was just wondering…" She stuttered.

"Yeah..?"

"It's just... I feel so... insignificant sometimes. I want to be stronger than I am now. I want to fight and be tough like Gabby. I want to be smart like Clyde. I want to be bold and daring...like you. But I'm not. I'm just me...a weak little healer…" She said with tears in her eyes.

"Isabel... I don't know where you got that crap from, but you're probably the most important part of our little team. If it weren't for you, I would have probably died last week due to Eliza's ridiculous training!" I said.

"A-are you sure?" She asked

"Hell yeah I'm sure! Plus, it's not like you're the only one that needs work on things. Look at Clyde's lame ass, He sucks at ice magic!" I said hysterically.

She giggled at my words. "He's not that bad."

"Really?! He sucks!" I said louder, this time catching his attention. I saw him glare at me and I grinned back. "We all still got a long way to go... especially Clyde...So just perk up!" I said.

"Ok... I-I'll try my best." She said with a smile.

"GREAT! Now come watch me throw rocks at Clyde." I said grabbing her hand and pulling her back over to my hidden pile of hard rocks.

-LATER THAT DAY-

After being encased inside of an ice block, courtesy of Clyde, I decided to do a little sparring with Gabby. She kicked my ass, but I wasn't about to tell anyone that. We were currently chilling outside of the House of Mentors. We were talking about the life we used to live before the Red Death.

"You know, being locked up for so long really gave me time to think. I regret not spending more time with my little sister. She was everything to me...then I let her down. Every time I went away, she'd always be waiting for me. I spent so much time searching for different powers I didn't realize I was neglecting her and my father." I said sadly.

Gabby gave me a sympathetic look and the quick pat on the back. "To be honest I wouldn't really know how that felt. I never had a sibling."

"Yeah… Sometimes you really really hate them and other times you just can't help but love them. I miss those times, I really do." I took a deep sigh.

Just then Eliza came running up to us with a scroll in her hand. "Come on you two, we got important news."

Gabby and I were confused. "What is it Eliza?" I asked.

"You've got a distress message from the island of Wudai." She responded.

"Wait Wudai? Isn't that where the Ninjas and Samurai live?!" I asked

"Correct!" Eliza said a little too enthusiastically for my taste.

"Wait, so are we all going?" Gabby asked.

"Yep. This'll be a great learning experience for you rookies!" Eliza said.

"Are we actually getting to fight?" I asked.

"Nope. You and Isabel are going to go support the injured civilians and get them to Amora." Eliza said to me. She then turned to Gabby. "You and Clyde are going to run backup for Tazorac, Xena and myself. We're going to take down the cause of the attack on Wudai. A dark samurai named Shotokan."

"Who the hell is Shotokan?" I asked.

"A villainous master of dark Wudai martials arts. He was defeated by the legendary hero of Wudai, a master of ninjutsu and a high ranked shinobi. The man who saved the island of Wudai was none other than Haruka Blade. Otherwise known as the Blood Ninja." Eliza explained.

"Whoa. That guy sounds cool!" I said getting excited.

"Yep, and that same guy owes me five hundred gold coins!" Eliza said, looking up to the sky. "That damned asshole!"

I was confused but I decided not to question it. Eliza looked back at Gabby and I. "We need to get ready. We are heading south of town . We have to board a ship in order to get to the island."

-AN HOUR OF PREP LATER-

We were.at the docks. The ship we were getting on was... pretty ass. It was an old, beat up pirate ship.

"...Well shit…" I said.

Clyde looked back at me with a grin. "You afraid of boats now?"

I flipped him off as I climbed onto the large pirate ship. He smirked and I just rolled my eyes.

"How long is it gonna take for us to get to Wudai?" I asked.

"Only thirty seven hours." Tazorac said.

"Damn!" I shouted.

We had finally set sail and the S.S. Bullshit was off to it's destination. This was gonna be a long ride…

-BORING HOURS LATER-

As time went on, I became more and more bored. Messing with Clyde was fun but I didn't feel like catching hypothermia again so I left him to his whack ass books. Isabel was meditating with Amora and Gabby was taking a nap.

"God this is terrible!" I yelled.

"Why don't you go ahead and jump overboard then?" Clyde said, scoffing.

"Screw you Clyde!" I snapped back.

"Sitting there complaining isn't gonna make the journey any shorter." Clyde said.

"And breathing down my neck with your annoying ass comments isn't gonna make me not wanna punch your freaking teeth in." I told him.

Clyde shook his head. "Ya know, you could at least give reading a try."

"I could also try spin kicking your ass."

"You are hopeless..." Clyde muttered walking away. "It's no wonder your mana essence is so pathetic."

"My what?!" I asked confused.

"Forget it." He said.

"...Freaking bitch…" I muttered.

I stared out at the vast ocean. I had noticed that there was a ship in the distance.

"What the hell?" I said confused.

I kept staring at the ship, only to see the ship disappear within an ominous mist. I decided to just forget the damn thing and walked over to where Isabel and Amora were meditating.

"Uh...you two mind if I...join you?" I asked.

"Do as you wish. Given the dwindling level of mana essence." Amora said.

"What the the hell is MANA ESSENCE?!?!" I asked frantically.

"Your mana essence is the strength and magnitude of your spiritual energy. This is the energy that is used to cast spells and use any degree of magic. Your mana essence is so unbelievably pathetic, that you couldn't even cast a basic level one flame spell."

"Wow... that's a little...harsh-"

"Your mana essence is so absolutely terrible, that your mana flame is smaller than my pinky." Amora continued.

"Yeah... I uh... I get it-"

"I mean, just looking into your soul, I can see the tiniest little mana flame. Even Gabby has a larger mana flame than you! And she hates the idea of using magic! You mana is just so-"

"ALRIGHT! I GET IT!" I said to her. "How do I enhanced my flame?"

"Well...with the sad and weak flame that you possess, I'd say four hundred years of isolated meditation." Amora said to me.

"...Yeah I think I'll just stick with my knives…" I walked away from the two healers. I walked over to Eliza who was perched up on top of the sail. I had questions and I wanted answers. "Yo Eliza! Are we almost there?" I asked.

"No. We're here!" She shouted down at me.

"Really?! It's about time!" I said with joy. Tazorac had docked the ship. We had all stepped off. I practically dived off of the damn thing. I looked around the unfamiliar place with excitement. "So...where are we."

"We're in The town of Hizashi. It's the place that holds the annual martial arts tournament." Tazorac said.

"That sounds awesome. When is it?" I asked.

"We're not here for games! We need to head north until we reach the town of Shizume." Xena said firmly.

"...Kill joy…" I said under my breath.

We headed through Hizashi and all the way up to Shizume. The walk was long and tiring but we finally made it.

"Geez! Can we please stop and take a break?!" I asked desperately.

"No. Now is the time for action. Clyde, Gabby, you two with me Xena and Eliza. We will head to the heart of the town and confront Shotokan." Tazorac said.

"Isabel and Shiro will gather up all of the injured civilians and bring them to the outskirts of town, where I will heal them." Amora said.

"Okay we all have our assignments, so let's get to it!" Eliza spoke with determination. We split up and went our separate ways.

-Deep Within The Town Of Shizume-

Izzy and I were running through the dense town in search for any hurt civilians. The only problem was...the damned town was freaking empty!

"W-where is everyone?" She asked as she looked around.

"Uh...not sure…" I said. Something whizzed past me and caught me off guard. I fell back on my ass with a harsh thud.

"Y-you alright Shiro?!" She asked with worry. She lifted me up to my feet.

"Yeah, I'm good." I said, brushing myself off. "What the hell was that?!" I asked.

"What was what?" Isabel asked with confusion. Just then, she was snatched up by a mysterious, hooded figure. The figure landed on the roof with Isabel under his arm.

"Hey! What the hell man?!" I shouted at Isabel's captor.

"Let me go, please!" Izzy said as she squirmed and struggled within the hooded figures grip. The mystery man's face was hidden within the shadow of his red cowl.

"You want her back, right?" He asked with a bored tone.

"Damn straight. Hand her over or else I'll come up there and kick your ass!" I threatened.

The figure chuckled. "Good…" He turned around. "Then come and get her…" He leapt up into the air, hopping from rooftop to rooftop.

"God damnit!" I said sprinting throughout the silent town of Shizume. Just hold on Isabel!


	5. The Blade that's Born

(CLYDE'S POV)

We were all inside of the Shizume tower. It was the tallest building in town and was located in the center of the place. We had tracked down Shotokan and cornered him on the top floor.

"WARD OF FLAMES: FIREWALL!" I shouted as I casted my fiery spell. My flames blocked off any chance of escape that our target had.

"There's nowhere to go Shotokan! It's over!" Tazorac ylolk.mk.oopok

"On the contrary my foolish friends. You see, I have you right where I want you. You will not leave this place with your lives!" he said as he snapped his fingers. Multiple ninjas had appeared with weapons in their hands.

"Damn it! Now we're surrounded!" Eliza said with grit teeth.

"It doesn't matter! We will fight through all of them!" Xena said as she recited some magical words of ancient Natheo. "Spell of Binding: Chains of Retribution!"

All of the ninjas had been restrained by a bright golden chain. Tazorac charged forward with his large broadsword unsheathed. Shotokan looked uninterested as the bulky warrior began to close the distance. "Take this!" Tazorac yelled.

Shotokan, in the blink of an eye, landed about five palm strikes. The knight dropped to the floor, unconscious.

"TAZORAC!" Gabby screamed with alarm. I was forced to hold her in place to prevent any...issues.

"Gabriella, you have to relax! He'll be fine, I can still sense his mana essence. He's still alive."

"Clyde we have to intervene! Tazorac got dropped within seconds and now Xena and Eliza are struggling to beat him!" Gabriella shouted.

"No! We have our roles! Part of being an apprentice is actually listening to the mentors!" I said back.

"What happens if they lose?!" She asked.

"They won't!" I snapped back with frustration. "If it gets to that point, then they'll give us the order to step in. We are only here for backup. Not to get in the way of the real heroes." I said sternly.

Gabriella growled at me with impatience. "Fine Clyde! You better hope we get out of this."

"We will! I know it." I said. Truthfully, I was unsure, but negativity only causes issues. I was now wondering how the others were doing. Isabel isn't the...most violent person. Ever since we were kids, she's always been too nice for her own good. Not everyone deserves her kindness. Especially not that damn Shiro guy. I don't trust him with Isabel's life. If she gets hurt, I don't know what I'll do.

-The Streets of Shizume-

(SHIRO'S POV)

I was exhausted. I don't know how this stranger was able to move so fast. I mentally thanked God for him coming to a stop. He turned to face me.

"Looks like you managed to catch up...good…" He said with his bored tone.

"...Ok... what...do *Huff* want…" I asked while catching my breath. He dropped the panicked looking Isabel to the ground. She quickly got up and ran over to me.

"SHIRO!" She said as she ran to my side.

"You ok? He didn't hurt you, did he?" I asked glaring at him. I noticed the location that he brought us to. It was a big tower

"Relax kid. I just want to keep Shotokan away from the Shard of Sithilum." He said.

"Wait what?! How do you know about that?!" I asked.

"Simple. I can sense it, and so can Shotokan. Why do you think you're here?"

I was extremely confused. I didn't know what he was talking about. "I'm gonna need you to shed some light on the situation."

"I need the Shard in order to seal Shotokan away for another thousand years." The hooded figure said.

"Why? This still isn't making sense."

"A shard is needed to finalize the creation of the Hanzuname Dragon Blade. That katana is what I use to stop Shotokan whenever he appears." The hooded man said.

Things were starting to finally click. "Oh shit! You're the legendary hero of Wudai. The Blood Ninja, Haruka Blade." The hooded man chuckled as he removed his hood. A man with dark maroon red hair and silver eyes stared at me. He looked no older than his late twenties.

"Ding ding ding! Give the boy a prize! Yes I am the hero, but I cannot defeat Shotokan without that sword. You have a shard. Shotokan knows this, and will do anything to crush you and destroy the one thing that can beat him."

"Wait...how could you possibly even know about the shard?" I asked.

"One of my friends told me. As soon as he said that, a shadow flew past me and stood right next to Haruka.

"You? How did you even get here?! Do you know how long I had to sit on a shitty ass boat just to get here?" I asked the freaking wolf that I last saw in the freaking woods.

"Well hello again, hero in the making. I see you've met my master." The mutt said to me.

This is all just too weird. "Ok, all things considered, what are we supposed to do about the shard. It's kinda... inside of me…" I said

"The way I see it, we could straight up tear through your body and rip the shard out, or we harness the energy from the the shard, via...your mana essence and have you wield the sword." He told me.

"... I'll take option number two." I said nervously.

Haruka sighed and looked at me. "Of course you'd choose the hard way. Well, we need to get started right away." He said.

"What? Why?!" I asked.

Haruka snapped his fingers and a glowing book appeared in his hand. "The Book of all Knowing Knowledge. This thing knows anything and everything that I need to know." He said.

"...Ok but why though..?" I asked.

He cracked the book open and showed me. "This is why!" The book showed Clyde, Gabby and the other mentors getting chained up and shackled. "Oh shit! They got captured!"

"And by the looks of it, Shotokan is pretty fed up with their attempt to defeat him." Haruka said.

"Damn...Then that just means we got no time to lose! How do I get this sword?!" I asked panicked.

"Well for starters, we need to bring out your shitty ass mana essence. I mean... it's just...so goddamn...HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Haruka dropped to the ground, laughing with tears in his eyes.

"..." Wow. This was the legendary hero…

"HAHAHAHAHA!!! THAT SMALL ASS MANA FLAME!!!

AAAHAAHAAAAAHAHAHA!!! OH GOD!"

"OK! I get it...damn!" I snapped.

"Oh geez. That's funny as hell! Anyway, as know you need to up your mana. Your flame is barely even lit." He said.

"Then help me increase it then damn it!" I shouted.

"Have you tried meditating for four hundred years?" He asked. I glared at him. "Ok, I'll stop. If you're going to enhance your pitiful mana flame in a reasonable time, then you'll need some that can transfer an extreme amount of spiritual energy...hmm... I wonder who could possibly be so powerful enough to do that…"

My glare intensified. "Are you freaking kidding me?!" I asked with impatience. "YOU CAN GIVE ME THE ENERGY I NEED!"

The bastard gasped like an idiot. "WHAT?! Me? Oh I just couldn't…" I didn't find this funny… "Oh lighten up, I gotchu! Just shake my hand." He raised his hand out to me. I grasped his hand firmly. " Oh and this might hurt."

"What-AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" I shouted in pain. "GOD WWWHHHHYYYY!!!"

I dropped to my knees and damn near fainted. Sweat rolled down my face. A strange red aura surrounded me and gold electricity coursed throughout my body. I went through this pain for a good five minutes. When it was finally over, I slowly pushed myself to my feet.

"Do you feel it? Your flame burns much brighter now. The shard is reacting to my energy and is manifesting into something more. Your flames are wild and will need to be tamed, otherwise you'll burn out…"

"What happens when it burns out?!" I asked with worry.

"You die." He said bluntly.

"What?! I don't wanna die!" I shouted.

"Then you better get used to having a large cesspool of mana to tap into. Don't let out more than about five percent of my energy. The shard inside of you only magnifies the energy even more. Letting all of that loose before your body has time to adjust to having mana could have devastating effects and lead to horrible repercussions." Haruka explain.

"How much do I need to make the damn sword?!" I asked.

"About two percent…" He said plainly.

"... That's it? Only two percent?"

"My mana is extremely potent and high in efficiency. That plus the shards ability to enhance one's capabilities tenfold means that not much energy is needed to create such powerful weapons."

"Ok...so how do I do this now?" I asked.

"First, you must clear your mind of all doubts." He said.

"I'm Shiro Tatsugami. I have no doubts!"

"Ok…Next you must compress your mana together, until it manifest into a ball of light in front of you." He continued.

I did as I was told, compressing the energy into one point. This took a little while to do given my lack of experience but I eventually got the hang of it. A bright orb was created directly in front of me. "What now?" I asked.

"Now the last part is simple. The sword's strength comes from the determination of its wielder. Think of a goal that you are determined to accomplish." He ordered.

That was easy. I have to be the best hero and fulfill my promise to Maddie. I will beat the Man in Red and avenge my destroyed kingdom!

The orb glowed brightly and began to shift into the form of a long thin blade. The brightness died down and the sword fell into my hands. It was a long katana with golden electricity protruding throughout it. As I held it, a strange feeling came about me. I'm not sure why but, it felt like the sword was alive. It held power within it and the mana essence it contained was unreal

"Wow…" Isabel said in awe.

"Did...did I do it?!" I asked.

"Yes young one. You've revived the Hanzuname Dragon Blade. You are now it's wielder, it's master. Use it to put Shotokan in his place!" Haruka said.

"Are you sure that I should do it... I'm only a level eight Rogue…" I said.

"Maybe before, but for today, you're a shinobi of Wudai and wielder of the Hanzuname Dragon Blade. Go on and slay Shotokan and free your friends. I'll be by your side the whole time." Haruka said.

"A-and so will I. You can count on me Shiro!" Isabel said.

"This is my first time having this kind of weight on my shoulders. What if I'm not ready? I just got my mana!"

"The path of a hero only gets tougher. You have to be willing to go the distance. This is your start. Make it a good one." Haruka said.

"...Ok! Let's do this!" I shouted, pumping myself up.

-Shizume Tower Top Floor-

We were at the top floor of the Shizume Tower. This was it. It was time to fight this jackass! I can't lose here! It's time to show this bastard what I can do! My name is Shiro Tatsugami, and I will be a hero!


	6. Moist

(SHIRO'S POV)

"DIE!" Shotokan shouted. I rolled out of the way of his vicious palm strike.

"Not today!" I shouted as I pivoted towards my left and swung the legendary blade across his chest. Shotokan seethed with rage as he felt his wound.

"You insignificant brat! I'll squash you like the bug that you are!" Shotokan said with a glare.

"Do it! I dare you, bitch!" I snapped back.

"With pleasure…" He started shouting out some nonsense in a language I didn't know. When he was done a large black sword had warped into his hands.

"Are you prepared to test my might?!" Hey said.

"Bring it, jackass!" I shouted at him. Our blades slammed against each other, creating shockwaves that roared throughout the room. Shotokan was going on the offensive so I was forced to block and dodge his attacks.

"Come now, show me something fun!" He said as he kicked me away. I was sent flying away from Shotokan, slamming into the wall behind me. He jumped up and went for a slam down stab to my head. I rolled out of the way and hopped up to my feet.

"C'mon kid... You're making me look bad!" Haruka said to me.

"I thought you were going to help!" I snapped back at him.

"You got this. Just give 'em the old, one-two!" He said eating popcorn with Isabel.

"...Dick…" I muttered while barely avoiding a swing to my head. I jumped back and looked at him. He smirked for a moment before he started laughing. "What?! Why are you laughing?!" I asked.

"The all powerful, legendary hero of Wudai decided to have a child handle his job?! What a fool!" Shotokan said with a chuckle.

"Well this child is about to serve up an ass kicking!" I said gripping the Hanzuname Dragon Blade tightly within my hands.

Shotokan tossed his blade away. "I shall call upon the dark arts of ancient Wudai. You shall tremble before my true power!"

A dark aura surrounded Shotokan. He began to engulf himself with a wicked energy. "Prepare yourself boy! I'm going to destroy you with my bare hands." His hands were surrounded by a dark, pulsating energy. I ran at him with the katana ready to strike. As I got in close, I vanished to the side and gave him a mighty slice. His body was cut clean, right through the middle. His top half dropped to the floor with a nasty thud. The villain was slain and it was all thanks to me! Haruka had freed the others and right away, Gabby ran up to me and jumped into my arms trailing kisses all over my face.

"Shiro I didn't know you were so strong. I always thought you were just an idiot but I was wrong. You are the strongest, most amazing guy I've ever met!" She said right before she smashed her lips against mine. The second we parted, Isabel shoved Gabby out of the way and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her lovely chest was pressed up against mine.

"S-shiro, I...I think I'm in l-love with you." She pecked my lips with her soft ones. I was left in a trance. "You're so much cooler than Clyde!" She said without stuttering.

"Yeah! Clyde sucks ass!" Haruka said, giving Clyde the middle finger.

Clyde dropped to his knees and started crying his eyes out. "It's true! I do suck. I'm a super shitty little prick! I am not worthy of your presence Master Shiro! May Rod the God strike me where I stand!" He said.

"Shut up Clyde, you eat ass!" I turned to my two lovely ladies and pulled them close to me. "Why don't we get outta here ladies and have ourselves a good time." I gave them both a good smack on the ass before I took flight and led them to some random ass bedroom.

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Oh yeah Gabby, just keep on working that wet tongue of yours." The brown haired idiot said as he smiled in his sleep. "After all this, we can go kick Clyde in the nuts." I glared at him along with the rest of the group. Gabby was burning with rage, Isabel was about to faint, Tazorac was cracking his knuckles with anger, Xena and Amora were shaking their heads, and Haruka was holding Eliza while they were laughing hysterically.

"Spell of Waves: Tsunami!" I shouted. A large blast of water slammed down on top of Shiro waking him up instantly.

"AAAAAHHHH!!! GABBY, TOO WET!!!" He screamed as he looked around with panic.

"Welcome back, moron." I said with narrowed eyes.

"Wait what? You mean that was just a…but how?!" He asked.

"You made the sword, but your body gave out on you and ya passed out." Haruka explained with a slight chuckled.

"So I didn't kill Shotokan..?" He asked.

"No. I did. With the sword that you partially created." Haruka replied.

"DAMN I MISSED ALL THE ACTION!!!" Shiro shouted angrily.

"Yep! This had to be the most intense battle I've had yet! Everyone saw it! Minus you of course." Haruka chuckled.

"Aww man…" He said disappointed.

"So Shiro…" Gabby said dangerously while looming over him.

"Uh...yeah?" He asked.

"What were you dreaming about while you were taking a nap?" She asked.

Shiro's cheeks flared up. He looked around, flustered at the question. "... Excuse me?"

"Yeah Shiro. What were you dreaming of?" Tazorac and I asked in unison.

"Why do you ask?" He said.

"You talk a lot in your sleep!" Gabby snapped. She lunged forward and began strangling him. "You think I'm just some cheap ass whore?! I'll show you a good time you perverted son of a bitch!"

"G-GABBY...CHILL...I WAS JUST... PLAYING... PRETEND!" He choked out.

"You're gonna die Tatsugami! DIE!" She yelled tightening her grip.

-LATER THAT DAY-

We were all at Haruka's temple. The place sure was...aged. There were sacred scrolls littered all over the floor.

"Home sweet home! I haven't been here in over three hundred years!" He said taking a deep breath.

"What are we doing here?" I asked.

"I have a request for you all." Haruka said.

"And that would be..?" Tazorac chimed in.

"Simple. I'm looking for an old friend of mine. He goes by the name Zey. He's been dealing with some hard times. I need you to hand this artifact to him." Haruka handed Eliza and old chalice.

"The Chalice of Hell?! Why would he need this?!" Amora asked with confusion.

"He is in search of…something... It's important! Just tell him it's from his best bud, Haruka." The ninja stated.

"Why can't you just give it to him?" Shiro asked. I was surprised. That was actually a good question.

"I've got a lot to take care of and not a lot of time to do it." He responded. Pretty vague ass answer.

"Where is he located?" Amora asked.

"In the catacombs of the underworld city of NecroFall." Haruka informed.

"Isn't that where the undead live? You know, where the EVIL undead army is residing. The place ruled by the Queen of the Undead and Sketrix, her undead champion. Please tell me you're not talking about that damn hell hole!"! I said, panicked

"Yep! It's also the temporary home to Zeyconius Unhalokh. Aka Zey." The ninja said as he poured a mysteriously strong smelling liquid inside of two cups. He handed a cup to Eliza and she happily accepted it. They both downed it instantly.

"What was that?" Shiro asked.

"Sake!" They shouted in unison.

"Eliza and I go way back kid. It all started with a drink." Haruka spoke.

"Speaking of way back, where's my five hundred gold?" The rogue asked with narrowed eyes.

"Oh uh... I left it in my other gi." He said nervously.

Eliza whipped out a dagger and pointed it at him with a glare. "Oh I see. So now you get to pay me eight hundred gold!"

"GODDAMNIT!" Haruka shouted.

"Serves you right ya cheap bastard." She said with a grin.

"Gimme another week! Please!" Haruka dropped to his knees and begged. What was happening.

"No. You had your chance. You just keep digging your own grave."

"Shit! Alright, fine!" Haruka submitted.

"So what now?" Gabby asked.

"Now we head back to Rai Town." Tazorac said.

"That's fine by me. I could use a nice shower." Gabby said. Isabel nodded in agreement.

"Alright! Let's get the hell outta here!" Shiro shouted.

"Hey kid, hold on for a second." Haruka said to Shiro.

"What is it?" Shiro asked.

"I want you to bring Vizeron with you. He'll be a great help to you when you're looking for Zey. He knows what Zey looks and smells like. If anyone can find him, it's Vizeron." Haruka said gesturing to the thieving wolf next to him.

"WHAT?! I don't wanna go with them! They suck!" The talking wolf shouted.

"Hey! You suck!" Shiro snapped back.

"They'll need your help Vizeron...And I need to be alone." Haruka said.

"But you're my master! You're supposed to make me the strongest BattleBeast!" The wolf snarled.

"I have too much to attend to at the moment. You'll get more experience with them then you will with me. So just go." Haruka demanded as he tossed me a scroll.

"What's this?" I asked.

"That's the contract for Vizeron. Those who have it in their possession are his master." Haruka explained.

"Really?!" Shiro exclaimed. "Gimme that shit Clyde!" He snatched the scroll out of my hands and ran up to the wolf.

"Guess who's your new master, bitch!" Shiro said with a grin. Vizeron growled and jumped at the idiot. He chomped down on his leg. "OOOOOWWW!!! GODDAMN MUTT!" Shiro yelled as he kicked Vizeron off of his leg.

"You better make me strong, beta male! I don't deal with the weak and undetermined."

"I'm the most determined son of a bitch around. We'll get strong together. BUT NO BITING!" Shiro demanded.

"No promises, beta male!" The wolf remarked.

"What does that even mean?" Shiro asked.

"It means that your only a partial male." I explained.

"Screw you Clyde!" He snapped. I rolled my eyes and ignored the idiot. "I'll show you who the best hero is! You'll be a strong BattleBeast as long as you trust in me!" He said back to the small animal.

"Fine. I'm going to hold you to that statement, beta male."

-BACK IN RAI TOWN-

After hours of Shiro complaining during the journey back to Rai Town, we had finally made it back. Gabby was out back, training with Tazorac like usual, Shiro was fighting with Vizeron over the last slab of meat while Eliza cheered them on, Xena and Amora were meditating and Isabel was cooking more food in order to stop Shiro and Vizeron.

I sighed as I continued to flip through my spell book. I desperately needed to find a new one. I had learned every single one that I had access to. I had to get stronger now. Shiro doesn't have that pathetic mana flame anymore. He must've gotten a boost from Haruka which means that his mana capabilities have been unlocked. I can't slip up and risk being surpassed by that idiot.

"Shiro...I m-made you another plate." Isabel said.

"Really?!" He said, letting go of the meat. Vizeron was sent flying backwards due to his vicious pulling. "Aww hell yeah!" Shiro ran up to her and grabbed the plate. He went to town on the meal. "Damn Izzy! This is amazing!" He said with tears in his eyes.

"T-thank you Shiro. I'm glad." She replied with a blush on her cheeks.

"Hey! I want more too!" Vizeron shouted.

"I'm sorry Vizeron. There's no more left." Isabel told him.

The wolf growled and jumped on Shiro. "GIVE ME THE REST, BETA MALE!"

"No way! GET OFF OF ME YOU DAMN MUTT!" Shiro shouted.

Isabel giggled at their foolish antics. Her small smile made my heart swell. I've known her for so long and not once have I told her about how I feel. I always wanted to but I just... don't want to pressure her or make things weird. For so long she's been so shy and timid and now that Shiro Tatsugami is here, she seems more upbeat and comfortable. The thought of that killed me. It truly did. All I wanted to do was make her smile like that. The way she would only smile with me.

(SHIRO'S POV)

-LATE AT NIGHT-

Clyde, Vizeron and I were inside of our room. I whipped out my blanket and spread it across the the floor. Clyde climbed up into his bed. I noticed that he sent me a quick glare before her went to sleep.

I placed my pillow and pointed to it. "You sleep there." I told Viz.

"Ugh! Why! I wanna sleep with the pretty and nice girl. The one that fills my time with the meats!" Viz said.

"No! Now go to bed." I said firmly.

"But why?" He asked.

"Because I'd get in trouble for that...Gabby is already pissed at me."

"Please Master Shiro." He stared at me with the sad puppy look.

"No! Now shut up and lay down before I put you to sleep myself." I hissed quietly.

Viz growled at me and plopped down on the pillow. "Stupid freaking beta male."

I gave him a light kick and shushed him. He snarled quietly and dozed off. I finally fell asleep myself after a couple of minutes.

-MORNING-

I woke up and was greeted by a suffocation. I flailed my arms around in search of what was cutting off my air supply. My hands landed on a fluffy object. I already had a good feeling about what it was. With all of my strength, I tossed the jackass K-9 off of my face!

"Hey!" Viz snapped.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" I said glaring at the wolf.

"I was comfortable!" He barked back.

"Try that shit again and see what happens!" I said.

We both headed downstairs, where everyone was sitting at the table. "Rise and shine apprentice." Eliza said to me.

"Sup." I said to everyone. I sat down and accepted the plate of breakfast that Izzy handed me. "What's the agenda?"

"Well I have business in DertWell. Gotta go help out with the reservoir." Tazorac said.

"What are we supposed to do then?" I asked. I had to swat away Viz who was trying to steal my meal.

"The rest of us are going to Ridge Haven. We need supplies." Xena told me.

"Supplies such as..?"

"Food, water, potions, spell books, and toilet paper." Clyde said scoffing.

"Aww man that sounds like shopping. Count me out!" I said.

"I second that motion." Viz said swiping the bacon off of my plate.

"VIZERON!" I shouted. He scurried away laughing.

"Food snatching bitch…" I muttered.

"We're all going!" Xena demanded.

I sighed in defeat. "Damn…"

-IN RIDGE HAVEN-

The whole place was like a big city. The thing that made the place weird was that the place had guards were on every street. "What's with the tight security?" I asked.

"Take a look at this you twit." Clyde said. He handed me a wanted poster.

"Frederick Lute...Wanted alive...Reward...SIX THOUSAND GOLD!!! I'M AFTER HIS ASS!" I shouted.

"No. We're here to grab our supplies and go. Let them handle their own problems." Eliza said to me.

"Damn!" I said.

We all headed deeper into the city in search for our necessary supplies. I'm gonna head to the library in search for my spell books." Clyde said walking off.

The girls headed north to do some weird female shit. That just left me with the mutt.

"What now?" Viz asked me.

"Now, we go and hunt down the criminal and get the loot!" I said.

"Fine by me!" Vizeron said eagerly.

"Alright then. Let's go!" I shouted as we took off through the streets of Ridge Haven.


	7. Fine Tune

(SHIRO'S POV)

"C'mon Viz! Please tell me you got something!" I asked him.

"Nada, but I did find a nice nap spot." He replied.

"GODDAMNIT VIZ!" I shouted with frustration. "We gotta get that gold!"

"We've been searching for a hour! I'm hungry. Feed me, beta male!" The wolf shouted.

"I just stole you a sandwich. Relax!"

"Hmph! You are the absolute worst." The wolf sighed.

"If we get the gold reward, I swear I will dedicate some of it to food." I told him.

"Ok! Now we're talking!" Viz smiled.

"Love the spirit. C'mon Viz, let's go check the town square."

We ran to the center of the city and looked around for any shady figures that we could find. We stumbled upon a hooded man holding a guitar, strumming it lightly.

"Hey stranger!" I shouted at the man.

"What's going on with ya kid?" The man asked.

"So uh...Do you know about the whole criminal guy?"

"Hmm I don't recall seeing any bad guys. Why do you ask?" The stranger said.

"Well you see, My friends and I came to town in search for supplies but then my mutt and I found out about this Frederick guy and...we want the reward for capturing him!"

"Oh really? Say, how many people are in your group?" The man asked.

"It's me, the mutt, Clyde's lame ass and five smokin' hot babes!" I said with a grin.

"Five ladies? Interesting…Where would they happen to be at this point in time?"

Vizeron took a deep sniff. "They're all at the...Spa?"

"I thought they were getting supplies!" I said confused.

"The spa...Ok…Well it was nice chatting with you kid but I gotta go handle something." The man walked off leaving the mutt and I.

"Uh...well, see you later…" I said.

Viz and I walked over to a small park in the city. Vizeron ran around the place, having the time of his life. I sat down on a nearby park bench and stared up at the clouds. I looked at them for a little bit before I dozed off.

-ELEVEN YEARS INTO THE FUTURE-

(??? POV)

"You won't win! I won't die like the rest! I WILL DEFEAT YOU!!!" I shouted.

"You won't escape from me this time you insect. I will not delay my mission to eradicate all life on the planet. You are the last remaining life form. You will be eliminated!" My enemy said to me.

"My friends, my beautiful wife and kids...YOU KILLED THEM ALL!!! You're gonna feel their suffering!"

"This is not a battle that you will win, mortal. I am a death god and Earth will fall to it's fate. Call it destiny. This is what the future has held in store for the Earthlings. You have evaded my many attempts to kill you, but your constant running ends here. You are the last living Earth creature and you will die just like the rest." The man's hand glowed a bright red color.

"Ward of Death: One Thousand Sins!" Tons of small red meteors began to rain down, crashing down towards the planet.

"Tome of Life: Shield of Faith!" I shouted forming a large white shield that blocked the incoming meteors.

"Don't get so smug you little bastard! You WILL fall! Ward of Destruction: Cataclysmic Eruption!"

I sprinted at blinding speed, avoiding all of the bursts of destructive energy. I charged at him and brought out my black scythe. A green energy surrounded the blade. "I will avenge everyone!"

I slashed at him repeatedly. He effortlessly dipped and dodged each and every swing. The scythe glowed brighter and brighter. I swung the weapon forward, launching green blasts of soul energy. He avoided every single blast and sent me a devastating kick to the gut. He flew back and gained some distance. I teleported in front of him and lifted my Spirit Scythe.

"This is the end for you!" I yelled as my scythe's blade began to glow once more.

I went in for a deep slice. My enemy caught the blade right between his fingers and flicked them, snapping the blade of my scythe in half and force palmed me away. "Well... I suppose it is time to end our little game of cat and mouse." He lifted his hand up and a black orb began to form. "I'LL SEND YOU AND THIS WRETCHED PLANET STRAIGHT TO HELL! " The black orb was surrounded by a bright purple energy. The energy was wicked and untamed. It must've been negative energy. "Spell of Chaos: Negative Death Bomb!" He hurled the large orb straight for me. It was closing in fast, consuming everything in it's path.

"NO!!!" I Screamed as I caught the large energy bomb. My hands were burning and I was struggling to keep the bomb from destroying the Earth.

"Do you see it now? This is the power that only a god can wield. You're eons away from my power!" He pushed the orb forward. The ground was being destroyed beneath me. "This is your end, legendary hero. Goodbye Vengeance!"

"N...no... you're wrong. This won't be my end...I will beat you!" I said through grit teeth. The bomb was getting too strong and my hands couldn't take much more suffering.

"Look at your current predicament. You have no chance of beating me!" The villain said to me.

"IF I DON'T, WHO WILL!!!" A golden energy surrounded me. My eyes glowing white. "I can't win now. I know that, but I will put an end to you!" I said.

"And how is that? I'd say you've got about... twenty seconds left until you are vaporized by that bomb." He chuckled. "YOU'RE DEAD!"

"Sorry, but you won't get your wish. I'm going to make sure you never even happen. So long, Metagenesis...Ward of Time: TIME WARP REWIND!!!" With a bright flash of light, I warped back to the days before Metagenesis rose to power. I would prevent this hell from being created.

-PRESENT-

(SHIRO'S POV)

I snapped my eyes open to see Vizeron getting ready to pee on my leg. I kicked him away from me and glared.

"...What?! I've been trying to get you awake for a while now! Plus I gotta pee…"

"Sorry...geez. I had a really weird dream. It had some dude that looked like the futuristic Grim Reaper fighting some God or something."

"That's nice and everything, but I still gotta pee…" Viz said shaking.

"Then go pee!" I yelled.

"I CAN'T!!! I NEED TO BE WALKED!!!" He shouted with tears in his eyes.

"We've been walking around all day!"

"That was different! UGH!!! I wouldn't expect a beta male to understand!" Viz said.

"Whatever just hurry up!" I snapped at him.

"...Just stay right there. DON'T LEAVE ME!"

"Why would I..? You know what? I don't care. Just hurry up." I told him. He ran off to a nearby tree and did his business.

"Goddamn mutt…" I muttered.

I was still thinking about the dream. Who were those two people fighting? It felt so real, I thought that I was there. I couldn't find an explanation.

"I'm done!" The wolf said, wagging his tail.

"Great...we should probably head to the spa and…"check on" the ladies." I said slightly drooling at my perverted thoughts.

"Ok, beta male."

-A FEW MINUTES LATER-

The spa district was clean and shiny. Floors were paved with marble and sparkling water filled the hot tubs. I looked around but couldn't find the women of our group.

"Hmm... I thought they'd be here." I looked at the mutt. "Any ideas?"

"Maybe they're at the-"

"They're not at the meatshop!" I said, cutting him off.

"But it wouldn't hurt to-"

"No!"

"Damn you!" Viz grumbled.

I rolled my eyes and scanned the area. Something just didn't feel right. I was about to drop my suspicions and search elsewhere until I heard the sound of a guitar being strummed.

"You hear that Viz? I asked.

"Yeah. It's coming from the lobby." Viz took off and I followed behind.

I kicked open the door to see the hooded man from earlier and my group of fine women. "What's going on?" I asked.

"Hmm…so you came? Interesting…" The hooded man said.

"What are you doing with MY ladies?!" I asked clenching my fist.

"Nothing they don't enjoy. Isn't that right, Gabriella?" The man asked.

"Yes Master. I love serving you." She said. I noticed that her eyes were faded and dull.

"What did you do to them?!" I whipped out my shitty ass daggers and pointed one at him. "Last chance before I slit your freaking throat!"

"You see... I'm not what you'd call an average criminal. He took off his hood. "I'm-"

"Frederick Lute. Level 18 Bard. Should've known you'd be the one screwing with my friend's." Clyde said stepping into the lobby. He looked at me. "Shiro…"

"Douchebag…" I replied.

"He took control of the girls using his own forms of magic." Clyde said.

"Elaborate shitface!" I yelled at Clyde.

"He strums his guitar and can control females." Clyde said while rolling his eyes.

"Females? Then how are you not his slave?" I asked, grinning.

"You're one to talk, beta male." Clyde snapped back.

"...Screw you, Clyde…" I muttered.

Fred snapped his fingers and all of the girls got into a battle stance. "Ladies. If you would kindly dispose of the trash."

"YES MASTER!" They all said together.

"Clyde... what's the plan?" I asked, getting nervous.

"You hold them all off while I look for a counterspell within one of my new books."

"...ARE YOU INSANE?! I'M GONNA GET MURDERED!" I shouted.

"Given the fact that you can't even handle Gabby...Nah, I'm sure you'll be fine." Clyde said. I noticed a very faint grin on his face.

"You son of a bitch…" I sighed and stepped forward. I looked at Vizeron. He surprisingly came forward with me.

"You sure about this Viz?" I asked him.

"Now's my chance to test myself! I will fight!" He said.

"Alright then... let's do this!" I shouted as Vizeron and I charged forward towards the group of women. Gabby ran up to me and sent me flying back into a pillar with a punch. The impact knocked the pillar over sending it crashing to the ground. I pushed myself to my feet and winced in pain due to my now sore back. "Ow…"

Vizeron ran up to Gabby and gave her a strong headbutt. She was sent crashing into Amora. "Yeah! Suck it!" As Vizeron was celebrating, Isabel ran up and punt kicked him over by Clyde. He got up and limped over to me. "Yeah... I'm gonna...sit this one out. Sorry beta male." He limped back to Clyde while he STILL was searching for a stupid spell.

"Ward of Light: Bright Radiance!" Xena shouted. There was a brief flash of white light that forced me to shield my eyes. When I removed my hands from my eyes, I was greeted by Eliza's boot straight to my face. I was sent skidding backwards. Eliza pounced on top of me, strangling my hips. My face heated up instantly. Yeah yeah, she's my mentor, and I was only like fifteen...but goddamn she could rock that leather. I was snapped outta my thoughts with a dagger being plunged into my upper thigh.

"AWWW SHIT!!!" I said, painfully. I punched her off of me and tried to crawl back over to Clyde but my legs were grabbed by Isabel and Amora. They began to drag me over to the other girls. I struggled out of the grip of the girls and scurried to my feet. I looked back to Clyde and glared. "Are you done yet?! I'm freaking bleeding out right now you dick!"

"Nope. Need more time." Clyde said smugly.

"...Shit munching, dickbag…" I grumbled. I ran around the girls in hopes of landing a good slash at Frederick, who was in the back of the group of women. The dull ass blades did little more than scratch him. He strummed the strings aggressively and sent me flying back due to the amplified sound waves. I landed in the center.

I had to put up with getting my ass kicked for another thirteen Minutes before Clyde finally said that he was done. Seriously though, I got burned, kicked in the nuts, stabbed, and I'm pretty sure I broke a rib. Gabby had me in a Full Nelson before she literally threw me at Clyde. The douchebag ducked and let me fly right behind him.

"You better be done with that GODDAMN spell Clyde! I got nothing left in me…" I told him.

"Oh, I was done twelve minutes ago. Wow you're stupid. How do you think I knew this book had a counterspell in the first place?" His smirk grew and I glared.

"I am going to fuck you up, Clyde." I said dangerously.

"Sure you will. Anyway, it's time to free the ladies. Spell of Influence: Mental Rejuvenation!" He shouted.

The girls were instantly snapped outta their trance. They all looked around with confusion. "W-where are we?" Isabel asked.

"I think this is the spa. Why is it so messed up though?" Eliza said.

I crawled to my feet yet again and glared at Fred's lame ass. "Ask that bastard over there. He's the one that was controlling you, but I saved the day!" I said grinning.

"I technically freed them so…"

"Shut the hell up, Clyde! Your ass is grass...and I'm the lawnmower, bitch." I said to him. He rolled his eyes and flipped through his book.

"Spell of Frost: Ice Barrier!" Clyde said out loud. The Bard was encased within a block of ice. Clyde smirked and looked at me. "Now I really saved the day."

I ran up to his guitar and smashed it. "Now it's time to collect my gold!"

"Yay! I get my meat! I want ribeye steak and smoked sausage, and bacon! Tons of bacon." Vizeron said.

-BACK IN RAI TOWN-

Isabel and Amora had patched me up with some weird magical type of shit as soon as we got back home. I was pissed off at my current situation.

"What a lovely load of bullshit! I can't believe they charged me for destruction of property. I got MY ass kicked. The girls should have to pay for the damn spa, not me!" I shouted.

"Too bad. Deal with it, loser." Clyde said as he went to his room. I flipped him off.

"All I wanted was my meat." Viz said with teary eyes.

"Well, we genuinely do appreciate your help, Young Shiro. You and Clyde will not go unrewarded." Amora said.

"So I do get paid?!" I asked.

"No you idiot! You get our appreciation." Gabby said.

"...I dunno, gold does sound better…"

"You are hopeless!" Gabby shouted, going to her room.

"I'm kidding... partially…" I said to her.

Isabel came out of the kitchen with two large plates of food. Vizeron ran up to her, eagerly awaiting his meal. "I made this for you two... Please take this as a thanks."

I looked at Vizeron. He looked back. "WE'LL TAKE IT!" The mutt and I shouted.

We began to tear our food apart. It was just too good to pass up. I noticed Isabel came out with a third plate. "Is that for me?!" Viz asked happily.

"N-no. It's for Clyde. I'm going to bring it to him." She said.

"Damnit!" The wolf said as he went back to his food.

I thought back to that dream that I had earlier today. I need to figure out more about it. I don't know why but it felt like it was more that just something my mind imagined. I got up from my seat and headed over to Eliza.

"Yo mentor! I thought I should ask you about my...dagger situation." I said.

"Yeah, those things are kinda shitty. Tell ya what, first thing in the morning, we'll head over to Gordan's and pick up some new blades for you." She said.

"Cool! I am a hero in the making. Plus you could throw in a good word for me!" I said grinning. "No way he's gonna deny me the daggers now."


	8. Late Night Snack

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Yo Gordon!" I shouted outside of the blacksmith's place. It was early in the morning. Viz, Eliza and I were here to get me some new blades.

Gordon stepped out of the building with a grumpy look on his face. "Oh. So the lad returns. I assume you be wanting the daggers."

"Damn straight! I hope you held your end of the deal, because I am a hero...sorta…" I said to the ginger. Gordon scoffed.

"Gordon, he's with me. He's my apprentice. Bottom line is that his daggers suck and he needs something a little more... useful." Eliza chimed in.

"Hmm, very well then. Only because he's with you." Gordon gestured us inside of the building. I walked around with Vizeron, inspecting the place. Weapons were all over the shop. As I went to go grab an axe, Gordon slapped my hand away and glared.

"Do NOT touch anything!" He hissed.

"... Alright...damn!" I said.

"Now, what type of daggers are you looking for? Straight edge, curved blade, long, short?" Gordon asked.

"Not sure... Surprise me Gordon." I said to him.

"Surprise, huh?" Gordon reached into a large golden trunk. He then tossed me a set of blades. They were long, straight daggers that had a small compartment on the bottom of the hilt. I flicked the compartment open and a short blade came out.

"Cool. A concealed blade." I twirled the blades around and then sheathed them. "I'll take em!"

"Great. Now get out! Your little friend is chewing on me weapon rack." Gordon said.

"Viz!" I picked him up and carried him outta the store. I wanted to test my blades out asap. I turned back and faced Eliza. "Viz and I are gonna go fight some BattleBeast."

"Ok. Don't stay out too long. That's when the high level creatures come out." Eliza warned.

"Alright Viz! Let's go!"

-IN THE WOODS-

"CROSS-CUT!" I shouted, slicing then large snake. I turned to my right and saw Viz let out a mighty howl. The sound waves forced the snake back like a hundred miles away from us. The third snake hissed at us and slithered over to us. I ran forward charging at it. Viz stomped his paw on the ground. The force created a stone ramp for me to run up. I jumped off of the top and slammed my blades into the giant snake, bringing it down. I hopped off of the dead beast and went over to Viz.

"We demolished those snakes." He said wagging his tail.

"I know, right! Too easy." I looked up to the sky and saw that the sun was setting. "We should probably head back."

"Aww, but I just leveled up. I wanna keep practicing my sonic howl!" Viz said.

"We'll practice tomorrow, but for now, let's get outta here."

Viz and I walked back to the house. Tazorac had came back and was speaking with Xena. Clyde was reading, Gabby was doing push ups and Izzy was cooking. I walked over to the table that Clyde was sitting at.

"Yo douchebag." I said to him.

"..." He was ignored me.

"... Dickhead…"

"..." Still nothing.

"Asshole!" I shouted in his face. I sighed and smacked the book outta his hand. "Yo, shithead!" I yelled.

"WHAT!" He shouted with annoyance.

"When's dinner gonna be done?" I asked.

"I don't know you idiot. I'm not the one cooking!" He said angrily.

"Oh. Ok just checking." I said with a grin.

I walked over to the kitchen and saw Izzy doing her thing. "Sup Izzy."

"H-hello Shiro." She said. I noticed that she was keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact.

"Uh...you good?" I asked.

"Yes... everything's fine."

"You sure because I can get-"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" She shouted.

I backed up with alarm. Clyde came running in and tossed me away. "What did you do to her?!"

"Nothing I just-"

"Clyde, Stop! I didn't mean to shout at him." She then looked at me. "Shiro, I'm sorry. I just need some space."

"Yeah, sure...I get it." I said.

Clyde and I stepped out of the kitchen. We both glared at each other. "Leave Isabel alone!" Clyde said angrily.

"Screw you Clyde. Don't tell me what to do!" I snapped.

"You don't understand what she's dealing with! Nobody does. It's her business so leave her alone." Clyde grabbed his book and walked away.

"...Sack of shit…" I mumbled.

-LATER THAT NIGHT-

After dinner, Viz and I decided to do a little more training before we turned in for the night instead of waiting till morning.

"Gimme your best howl!" I told him.

"You asked for it beta male!" Vizeron puffed up his chest. He released a large blast of supersonic waves. I dodged the blast and grinned. "Gotta try harder if you wanna hit me!"

Viz shot multiple blasts in rapid succession. I dodged most of them but was caught off guard by the last one. The force of the blast sent me flying. I crashed down hard onto the ground. Viz ran up to me with a look of triumph. "I have bested the beta male!"

I got up and dusted myself off. "Ow...dick…" I grumbled.

"You gotta admit, it's getting better."

"Yeah. Now I just gotta teach you how to do it on Clyde when he's asleep." I said.

We both laughed until our eyes locked onto a figure walking in the distance. I looked at Viz for an explanation. He gave a hefty sniff.

"The scent is familiar but I can't place my finger on it." He said

"You don't have fingers…"

"Exactly!" He shouted.

I rolled my eyes and got up from the ground. "Well then, let's go investigate."

We followed the mystery person into the woods. Viz kept track of their scent and I kept lookout. We followed them for about fifteen minutes until we reached a small pond. The moonlight was shining brightly against the surface of the water. The mystery person that we followed was in front of us, kneeling on the edge of the pond. I walked over to the person. As I got closer, their identity became more apparent.

"Isabel? What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"Look, I know I can be a little...direct, but I really do want to help you."

"...You want to help me?" She said. I took note of her voice. It was different. It held a much darker and sinister tone. Her shyness seemed to be replaced with assertive dominance. "Don't be foolish. You shouldn't have followed me Tatsugami."

"Izzy? What's up with-GAH!" She turned around quickly and gripped my throat. Her eyes were now glowing red slits. Her plump red lips smirked across her paler skin. She pulled me closer to her and sniffed my neck. "W-what are you doing?!"

"You smell so intoxicating." She moved her lips to my neck. "I just want to feast a little bit. I'm so hungry Shiro. Your scent is the best that I've come across and I don't plan on missing this opportunity."

I pushed her back and glared. "What the hell?!" I shouted. "Snap out of it Izzy!"

She vanished right behind me and wrapped her arms around my chest. "I can assure you Shiro that I am in fact, Isabel. Only thing, is that the one you're used to is asleep right now. She'll be back at around six in the morning. Once midnight strikes, I'm in control." She licked my neck and this time I shoved her a bit harder.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"You see, I'm Isabel Yang, the daughter of Krato Yang aka the vampire king." She said shifting closer to me.

"What?! I thought you were an orphan!" I said.

"That's just what my other self tells people." She wrapped her arms around my neck. "So Shiro...you tend to flirt alot with my other half, so why won't you let me get a little taste of your blood?"

"I...I don't want to get... bitten."

"Oh, but Shiro, it'll only pinch for a little bit. I'm so hungry Shiro." Her seductive voice left me uneasy. I couldn't tell if she was trying to get in my pants, or trying to get me for dinner. She pecked my lips and moaned in my ear. "You're so tasty Shiro. Please let me feast on you tonight. I'd be forever grateful to you. You could taste me if you'd like." She said with a smirk showing her sharp fangs. I blushed furiously at that statement. I was beyond flustered. She licked her lips hungrily. "So what will it be Tatsugami? Are you gonna leave me out here all alone and hungry?" She dropped to the ground pulling me with her. She tightened her grip on my shoulders and smiled at me. "Or are you gonna be my meal for the night?"

"B-but won't I die?!"

She giggled at that. "I'll be gentle with you. I promise not to take too much. You won't even feel it."

"Will I turn into a vampire?! I kinda like the idea of still being me."

"Oh Shiro. You'll only turn if I want you to." She grinned evilly.

"I...uh, I dunno." I said to her, while sweating nervously.

She circled her finger around my chest. "Please Shiro. Like I said, I'll be ever so grateful to you."

"Does anyone else know about...this?"

"No. Until now, I would only feast on the blood of low life scum. But they usually have terrible blood. But you on the other hand have a delightful scent. There's a good chance that I'm not the only one that would want a piece of you. Your smell is so sweet. Your will, your passion and your determination only make your blood much more pleasant." She cupped my face with her hands and pulled it closer to hers. Her vampiric eyes were so memorizing. I was losing myself within her. I never thought I'd look at Isabel like this. The cute, shy, healer was a sexy, seductive blood sucking vampire princess. WHAT THE HELL?!

"...Just a nibble?"

"Just a nibble." She said with a slight nod.

"Ok...fine, do as you wish just...take it easy." I said to her.

"Oh, thank you Shiro!" Without wasting any time, she sunk her teeth into my neck.

"Fuck!" I hissed at the sharp pain. As she sucked my blood, I began to feel weaker and weaker. I was slowly getting light headed. She moaned softly as she removed herself from my neck. A trail of blood dripped down the side of her lips. She licked it away and giggled. "Wow Shiro. That was amazing. You have the best blood, by far. I think we might have to do this every night." She said kissing and licking the spot that she bit.

"Whoa. Slow down there. I don't think I can handle much more of that Isabel. I don't have the amount of blood to keep this going." I said to her.

"I know how to get the blood flowing again." She slowly removed the upper part of her robes showing me more than I should've seen. "Go ahead Shiro. It's your turn to feast."

With all of the strength I possessed, I threw myself off of her and crawled over to Viz who apparently fell asleep during the whole situation. "I shouldn't. It's not right. I can't do that behind Izzy's back."

"But Shiro…" She vanished on top of me and straddled my hips. "I'm just as much her as she is me. I give you full permission to have my body whenever we meet. Only if you give me your blood of course."

"N-no, it's ok. If I'm doing something like that than I need both of you to be on board." I said.

"Oh, Shiro! You're so sweet! You see, this is why I've been after your blood." She pulled me in for a quick kiss before she got up. "I guess I better keep a lookout for you. If I'm not careful Gabriella may snatch you away from me."

"Wait what?! What did Gabby say about me?" I asked.

"Oh nothing important. Just keep an open mind Shiro." She turned around and looked at the moon. "Well I'm off to create some mischief." She blew me a kiss. "Tata my lovely snack I'll see you in the morning." She jumped up like seven hundred feet in the air, disappearing in the night sky.

I looked up with awe. My mind was officially blown. I walked over to Viz and carried him back to the room. I don't think I was getting any sleep tonight. So many thoughts rattled my brain, and to make matters worse I couldn't get rid of this annoying hard on! Life sure was a cruel bitch sometimes.


	9. Coming to Terms

(SHIRO'S POV)

Needless to say, things were extremely awkward between me and Isabel. Every time I saw her, I'd get all flustered. Pretty ironic, I know, but after seeing her other side, I wasn't sure about how this one felt about me. Did they both share the same feelings? I just didn't know.

Viz and I hopped off of the floor and went downstairs. Everyone was eating breakfast. Well everyone except Izzy. She was smiling contently as she handed out plates. Now I know why she didn't eat much.

"Good morning apprentice." Eliza said, reading a newspaper.

"Sup." I took a seat next to Gabby and Clyde. Isabel came up to me and handed me a plate of pancakes with eggs and bacon.

"H-here you go Shiro. Please enjoy." She said politely.

"I uh...Thanks Izzy." I said with a blush. Her eyes were back to their golden color and her skin seemed more radiant.

I stuffed my face and looked away from her. Damnit Shiro! Get it together! I felt a tug on my pants leg. Viz looked at me with big eyes. I rolled mine and slid him a strip of bacon. His tail wagged with delight and he consumed the meat.

"Whoa! What happened to your neck Shiro?" Gabby asked. I almost choked on my food.

"What do you mean?" Your neck has a red spot with two holes in it. Outta the corner of my eye, I saw Isabel tense up.

"Oh um…It's just a few bug bites." I said with a nervous chuckle.

"They got you pretty good. It's looks painful." Gabby continued. Yeah, truth be told, it did burn like hell but I'm used to the throbbing pain now.

"I'm good, I swear." I said dismissively. Then a thought struck my mind. "Why ya so worried Gabs?" I asked her while wiggling my brows.

"Don't get it twisted, jackass. I just wanna make sure I don't have to chop your head off. The last thing we need to deal with is a damn vampire. Right Isabel?" Gabby asked smirking.

"..." Izzy got real quiet. I could tell what she was thinking. The was uncomfortable with the topic.

"So who's down to go adventure?!" I said quickly changing the subject.

"Well we are supposed to go to the island of Volcanius to help out a the citizens of Pyrus." Tazorac said.

"Why?" Clyde asked.

"They are in need of service. You see they live under the rule of Xena's older brother Xeno." Tazorac explain.

"We need to help my brother at all costs and save those poor, people. Xeno is a good leader but is in need of a little aid. Xeno has mastery over any fire related spells. Defeating him would be no easy task, but it seems that an evil gang called the Inquisition are after government power." Xena said, seriously.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go kick their ass!" I shouted.

Clyde rolled his eyes at me. "We can't just go in without a plan. You'll get your stupid ass murdered."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever Clyde." I said brushing him off. "So how do we get there and when do we leave?"

"We leave in two days and we're taking the boat!" Tazorac said.

"...Shit!" I grumbled.

"Well then, you are all good to go. I'd pack some essentials for the trip. We may be a while." Eliza said.

As we all moved out of the kitchen, Isabel pulled me aside. "S-shiro, I need to talk to you...alone."

"Alright then. Let's go talk." I said to her.

We walked up to her room. She shut the door behind her and let out a breath. "What happened with us last night?"

"...Oh that...Well um…" I blushed like an idiot when the memory of last night played in my head.

Izzy looked at the spot she bit. "Oh god! I actually bit you!" She began tearing up.

"Wh-what?! Is that bad? Tell me it's not bad!" I panicked.

"You're gonna be fine, but I won't be."

"Why?" I asked her.

"I'll assume that you know about my real origin, so I will skip that part and go straight to the explanation." She took a deep breath. "My other half has been craving your blood ever since we caught whiff of your scent. Now that she's got a taste. She'll only crave your blood for the time being."

"Yeah I guessed that."

"A-also...did she do anything... inappropriate?"

I blushed heavily. The sight of Isabel's bare chest drove me nuts. "Uh... sorta."

Isabel threw her hands to her red face with embarrassment. "I knew it!"

"Yeah…"

"Shiro you have to stay away from her. The more she takes from you, the hard it is to keep control." Izzy said.

"Uh, ok. I'll try!" I said to her.

"Please, that's all that I'm asking." She said while hugging me.

-TWO DAYS LATER-

"GODDAMNIT!" I shouted.

"Suck it up and get on the boat." Clyde and Gabby said in unison.

Once we all boarded the ship, we set sail over to Volcanius. I was already bored so I decided to go hang with Gabby. I had to avoid Isabel for a bit, Viz was chasing a seagull and Clyde...was Clyde.

"Yo Gabby Gabs!" I said to her.

"What do you want Shiro?" She asked aggressively.

"Just wanted to chill with you."

"No."

"Please! I'm so goddamn bored!" I begged.

"Go away."

"I need you!" I shouted.

She groaned with annoyance. "What am I gonna do?" I'm bored too!"

"You know…we could always just-"

~WHAAM!!!~

"OW! I was gonna say train with each other! Damn!" I held my bruised face.

"Not in the mood. Now leave!"

"Woman...I am very persistent!"

She glared at me. "Why can't you just leave me alone?!"

"Because, we're friends, and friends do stuff together!" I said to her.

"Who said we were friends?"

Owch. "I did and since we're friends I say we go have some fun or something."

"Not interested." She said as she rolled her eyes.

I glared at her. Now this was just getting annoying. "Are you freaking kidding me?! I'm legitimately trying to not screw this up and you won't even give me a chance?! You'd really rather just sit here and be bored than hang out with the only other person your age that somewhat gets you!" I shouted getting in her face.

"I never asked to meet you! You could die for all I care!" She snapped back, in my face.

"Screw you then!" I yelled at her.

"Screw you!" She yelled back.

I didn't notice how close we actually were until I noticed our lips pressed lightly against each other's. She then widened her eyes and punched me hard in my face. "Ow! Fucking hell! Shit!" I yelled.

"What are you doing?!" She yelled.

"I don't know! I only did what you were doing!"

"What the hell was I doing?!"

"I don't know!" I shouted.

"Listen closely Shiro. I do not like you! I will not ever like you! So stay the hell away from me!" She glared and moved herself away from me.

"...Damn! Why do I always mess up around her?!" I held my face and looked up. Clyde was using his magic to entertain Izzy. She seemed so happy. Even Clyde was smiling. I sighed. I really should keep my distance from Isabel. Her night side seems obsessed with me but the day side seems to enjoy Clyde's lame ass. Shit! I had to go and make things weirder between Gabby and I. I'm a dickhead!

Viz came running up to me with a dying, twitching bird in his mouth. "I caught it!" He said happily. "You think Clyde will cook it for me?"

"I don't know. Maybe." I said. Viz ran over to Clyde and Izzy.

I sat down with my legs crossed and decided to try meditating. I closed my eyes and breathed in and out. Before I knew, my mind warped to something strange.

-TEN YEARS LATER-

(??? POV)

"C'mon kids! Come at me all at once!" I said to my three children.

"You asked for it dad!" The oldest one said confidently. His aura flared into a red colorization. The boy charged at me, followed by his younger brother and sister. I blocked dodged each of the attacks. Both of the younger kids flipped back and charged their mana.

"Ward of Flames: Inferno Spear!" The boy shouted. A sharp blast of fire flew from his hands.

"Ward of Frost: Cold Fusion!" The girl shouted. A beam of ice was sent straight for me.

"Tome of Light: Particle Shield!" I created a large, bubble of light that deflected both attacks.

"Gotcha!" My eldest son said behind me from within my bubble. He pointed a small sword at my back and grinned.

"Nice one, but…" I leg sweeped him and tossed him to his siblings.

"Kids! Tell your father it's time to eat dinner!" My wife shouted at us. I chuckled and scooped them all up.

"Well then, let's go get some grub!" I said to then.

We sat at the table and enjoyed the meal wife made wonderfully for use all. My lovely wife looked at me with a confused look. Where's your "partner in life" at?" She asked, referring to my best friend.

"He's probably off taking care of something. He does have a family now, so I wouldn't put it past him." I said eating my steak.

"I'd love to have his family over again sometime. His wife is such an amazing cook. She really does help out."

"I think you do a pretty good job yourself." I said winking at her.

"Mom, I'm finished! Can I go to Warren's house now?" My oldest son asked.

"Ok, but I want you home by eight."

"Sure thing mom!" The boy said.

"Riley, wait!" I called out to him. It's your birthday tomorrow and I got something special for you, early in the morning. Make sure you come home on time so you can get to bed."

"I will dad! I promise." Riley said with a smile.

"Alright! Be good!" I dismissed him and he ran off to his best friends house.

"Daddy, can Elisabeth and I go out back and play some more?" My youngest son asked.

"Sure thing. Just stay safe. The two small kids ran out of the back door, giggling.

"Well my sweet, that just leaves us." I said to my smiling wife. I lifted her up and smirked at her. Before I could continue with my display of affection, Riley came busting through the door. He had scratches and cuts all around his body. "Riley!" I put my wife down and we ran to our injured son.

"Oh my God! What happened?!" My wife asked.

"...W-warren and I...got *sniff* attacked by a huge BattleBeast…*sob* Warren's dead...He got eaten." Riley balled his eyes out on his mother's dress.

I glared at the floor. I got up and started for the door. I looked back and told me wife to grab the kids and to keep them save. I slammed my fist against my chest, stopping my heart. I blacked out for a moment before I was transformed into Vengeance. I brought out my scythe and readied it. When I stepped outside, I saw nothing but chaos. BattleBeasts with dark auras were terrorizing the city. Little did I know this was only the start.

-PRESENT-

(SHIRO'S POV)

My eyes flew open. I gasped heavily as I recovered from my dreamlike state.

I looked down to see Viz sleeping soundly on my lap. I sighed and pet him softly. I gently placed him on the ground. I got up and walked over to Xena and Amora.

"Greetings, Shiro." Amora said to me.

"Sup."

"What is troubling you. I can sense struggle within you." Xena said.

"I keep having these weird dreams."

"Elaborate, child." Xena spoke.

"So I had one about a black and green Grim Reaper that was fighting against a God and was getting his ass kicked but in the end, he escaped via time magic." I said to her.

"Did not just say, time magic?" Amora asked me with a strange look.

"Yeah. I said something like WARD OF TIME: TIME WARP REWIND...or something like that…" I said to them.

Amora and Xena shared a look. "Ward of Time? The only person that can use a spell of time is the chronomancer Ronex."

"Ronex?" I asked with confusion.

"Yes. Ronex. He is also known as the Father of Time. He is the reason time has started and when he dies, he'll be the reason that time stops."

"Ok...but why would I have a dream about him and a death god?"

"It might not have been Ronex though. Ronex resides only in deep depths of the Time Warp realm. If he's not there then time will cease to exist." Amora explained.

"I'd recommend keeping an eye out for any more of these "dreams" because they just might be visual prophecies." Xena concluded.

"Alright then." I said.

-TWO HOURS LATER-

The ship had finally docked on the coast of Pyrus. The city was lit with flaming candles, the streets were laid out with stone. It was a pretty neat town. Banners hung all around the place and people seemed to be celebrating some kind of event.

"Damn! This place is freaking lit!" I yelled.

"We've come during the Summer Solstice event. This celebration lasts for two weeks." Xena told us.

"Cool! I wanna try the flaming flamingo kabobs!" Viz said, drooling.

"Very well. I shall go and speak with my brother and discuss our mission." Xena said.

"I'll come with you! I would like to meet a legendary pyromancer." Clyde spoke.

"Very well then. Be sure to watch what you say. Xeno can be very... temperamental. I easy to anger and if that happens, you're sure to get burned."

Clyde nodded and they walked off in the direction of Xeno's tower. "Well then... let's go have some fun!" Vizeron yelled as he ran over to the food stands. Gabby grabbed Isabel and they went to look for clothes with Eliza and Amora. Which left me and Taz.

"So…" I started awkwardly.

"...Yeah…" He replied scratching the back of his head.

"I'm just...gonna go over there and...do a thing…" I said.

"Yeah...you do that." Taz said as we walked away from each other. Don't get me wrong, Taz is cool and all but, he's...kind of a stone cold, drag.


	10. Let's Blaze it Up

(CLYDE'S POV)

As Xena and I climbed up the huge tower, the heat rose to near unbearable temperatures. Once we reached the top, we were greeted by a large door. I went to go open but Xena placed a hand on my shoulder and stopped me.

"Young Clyde, do remember what I told you of my brother." She said. I nodded and we proceeded inside. There waiting for us was Xeno, the world's strongest pyromancer. Once we stepped inside, we both bowed with respect. "Greetings brother."

"Hmph... Greetings my younger sister. I see that you have accepted my request." Xeno said with a stoic look. His fiery red hair was flowing like a calm flame. His orange eyes held a burning gaze that shook my to my core. Needless to say, this man was intimidatingly strong. I could feel the pressure of his mana essence. His seemed larger than anything I've ever seen from even Xena. His eyes shifted over to me. I tried my best to keep my cool. "Who is the boy you've brought with you?"

"This is my young apprentice, Clyde Yukio. He is in training to be a Grand Spellcaster." Xena said with pride.

"A Grand Spellcaster, huh...tell me boy. What is your level?" Xeno asked me.

I cleared my throat before I spoke. I looked at him with a tad bit more confidence. "I am a level 17 mage, sir."

"I see...How skilled are you in the art of fire?" Xeno asked with an intrigued voice.

"I have learned all seven hundred basic flame spells. I am practicing the intermediate spells now."

"All the basics spells? Interesting for someone only level 17. You do have potential but in order to be a Grand Spellcaster like my father, you must be advanced all forms of magic. If you truly are interested in honing your flaming magic, then I would recommend you take some time training with someone truly masterful in the art of fire." He held his hand up and a bright flame flickered within it. The small flame hell such an intense amount of mana. It's power was radiating throughout the room.

"...Wow…* I said in awe. His power was tremendous.

"You see now, child? This is the power of fire. A flame that can burn brighter than the sun can fit within the grasp of my palm. You too can wield such power." Xeno said with a smirk.

"I do wish to advance my skills." I said.

"Indeed. After we handle the issue with the Number, I shall teach you the ways of fire." He said. He then glanced at Xena. "Where are the rest of your group, dear sister."

"They are in the town plaza."

"Ah yes. They must be enjoying the summer solstice. Very well then. We shall carry out our task alone." My eyes widened at his words.

"Just the three of us?! But I thought you needed backup." I said.

"That is very true... however... I am a master of fire and my sister knows her way around a good spell. You shall tag along to serve as training." He said.

"Stick around, Clyde. You might learn something important from us." Xena said.

"Ok. I will join you for your mission. Should we tell the others?" I asked.

"No use worrying you friends. Let them enjoy their stay here. As for us three, we shall face the Number head on and annihilate them for ever daring to threaten MY city!" He said, clenching his fist.

"Is a frontal assault a good idea? There's only three of us." I said with concern.

"We'll be fine. My flames are destructive form of magic. Xena can run crowd control with her chaining spells and you can practice your fire as support." Xeno said.

I was still unsure but decided to hold my thoughts and nod with agreement. They were the professionals so I should trust in their capabilities. "Ok. I will do my best!" I said as we headed out of the tower and towards the Number's base.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"AWW HELL YEAH! GET LOOSE PEOPLE!" I shouted at the crowd of people. The entire population of Pyrus was gathered at the town square, dancing the night away. I was in the center of the large crowd dancing my ass off. Fireworks lit up the night sky, increasing the hype factor. I was wading through the ocean of people in order to get more flamin hot cheese sticks. As I got to the snack bar, I saw Tazorac, Amora, Eliza, Izzy, Gabby and Viz just sitting there doing NOTHING! "Yo! What's up with you guys?!" I asked.

"Don't dance!" Gabby and Tazorac both said.

"This music is much too noisy." Amora commented.

"I had one too many drinks." Eliza spoke, sickly.

"I-I'm a bit sleepy." Isabel said softly with a yawn. I got a little nervous at that statement. I'm already certain that it's almost midnight.

"I'm hungry Shiro." Viz said.

I glared at him. "Dude! Go find something to eat!" I yelled.

"I can't reach the counter!" Viz said tearing up.

I rolled my eyes at his whining. "Vizeron...stop being a lazy little jackass."

He stuck his tongue out at me. "Goddamn beta male!"

"Where are Clyde and Xena at. They've been gone for hours. They should've been back by now." Tazorac said with a huff.

"Indeed. They have been absent for quite sometime now." Amora chimed in.

"I'm sure they're fine! C'mon guys! You're missing out on the party!" I said. I looked at Gabby and grabbed her arm pulling her off of the bench. I dragged her through the crowd. She was glaring daggers at me. I could tell she was trying real hard not to whoop my ass in front of all these people.

"What the hell are you-"

I let go of her arm and started to shift back and forth. I gave her a goofy ass grin. "C'mon, you got it girl." I said to her. She flipped me off.

"I don't dance Shiro."

"No one does, that's just the power of music. It makes your body do some weird stuff. Stuff that leads to other stuff. Stuff that I don't fully understand. Bottom line is, dancing just comes naturally." I sent have a wink as he switched my rhythm with the new beat of the song.

"I'm not doing this Tatsugami!" She said folding her arms. I slid right next to her as the song changed yet again. This time it was a smooth and steady melody. I unwrapped her arms and slid my hand with her and started to swing our arms around. "What...are you... doing you idiot?!" Her red cheeks didn't go unnoticed by me. I flashed her a wide smile and began to swat us back and forth, going slower and slower with the song. "Th-this is so... stupid…" She said looking away from me.

"You can't tell me you're not having fun though!" I said to her.

"Shiro, get the hell off of me before I end your sorry ass." She said.

"What if I did this instead?" I asked as I pulled close to me. I took note of our similar height. Not sure if that me her tall, or me short…

"Shiro! What are you-"

"Shh…Just relax and move with me." I said to her. I could hear her breathing calm down a little bit. "Good. Now that you're all cozy, I thought that I should say...sorry...for well...you know... kissing you the way I did on the boat. I'm not sure what the hell was going on in my mind. I just wanted...uh, you know what? Nevermind…"

"You wanted what?" She asked. I gulped. I couldn't tell her that I wanted to dive deep! I wasn't even sure if that's even really what I wanted.

"Nothing. It's nothing." I said dodging the question.

She pushed herself off of me and outta my grip. She sent me a nasty glare. "What did you want from me Shiro?!"

"I wanted you to...DAMNIT! Look, I don't know how to explain shit like this. Just know that everything I do, is for a reason."

"You are being weirder than usual…"

"I know but hey, look on the bright side. You're dancing all by yourself now." I said to her. She finally noticed that her body was moving to the song.

"What?! But how?!" She asked.

"I'm a miracle worker. Now that I have completed that task, I'm going to go get some of those fire fries." I walked all over the place looking for a food stand. As I neared my destination, Izzy came dropping down in front of me. I nearly had a damn heart attack.

"Hello again my scrumptious lover." She said running her soft yet chilling hands through my chocolate brown hair. "I missed you." She said pecking my lips. My face was heating up already.

"I...uh...h-hey Isabel." I said nervously.

She sniffed my neck hungrily and licked her red lips. "You smell tasty tonight Shiro. You wouldn't mind letting me get just a slight taste, would you?" She asked licking my neck.

"Uh... I don't know if I should really do that."

She pouted and snaked her arms around my neck. "Aww, but I was really hoping that you would let me get some more."

"I just... look, things are really complicated right now and I'm... confused."

"Please, Shiro! I won't be long. I'll take what I need, and be on my way." She said with a sly smile.

"Are you sure? Last time you kinda went off on me. I barely made it to the house!" I said with narrowed eyes.

"I promise! Only what I need, my lovely snack."

I sighed angrily. "Ok fine, but should we really do this in front of all these people?"

She grabbed my hand and sprinted us to the back of an alley way. "There! Now we can be…" I brought her lips to the side of my head and licked my outer ear. "Alone…" She finished as she sank her fangs into my neck again.

"Shit, shit, SHIT!" I yelled as painfully quiet as I could. She was sucking away at my blood and with every passing second, I felt weaker and weaker. "DAMNIT! Come on!" I muttered.

She removed her teeth from my neck as smiled happily at me. Her pale face made her blush much more noticeable. "Oh Shiro! Thank you so much. I am once again, grateful to you." She playfully pushed me against the wall of the alley way. "Please, let me show you how grateful I am." She left me a sloppy, wet kiss. They way she kissed me was, in word to describe it, hungrily. She moment she thrusted her tongue through my lips, she began tasting me. She placed her hands on my shoulder and pressed herself against me, making escape that much harder. I was legitimately trapped against this wall about to practically get raped by a sexy ass vampire. She ended the kiss and looked at my flustered face. She caressed my right cheek and smiled at me. "Shiro, why don't proceed.elsewhere? I want to really enjoy this." My eyes snapped open. Was she really asking me for sex?! Ok, let me set one thing straight. I talk a big game, and flirt alot, but I do NOT think that I am ready for the sexy times! I just joking when I say that I am!

"Look, Isabel I'm gonna be real with you, I don't think I'm exactly ready to do that." I said shifting outta her hold on me.

"Don't worry about it. I'll do all of the work." She giggled. I swear I was going to have a damn hole in my pants. She pecked my lips and smiled.

"N-no I mean that I'm not mentally ready." I said to her. "I want my first time to be important, not some heat of the moment type of thing."

"Oh, ok. I'll wait until the time is right. I promise to make it a night you won't forget." She said. She looked up at the night sky and chuckled a bit. "Well, I'm of to go on my night of terrorizing!" She said.

"What do you mean, terrorizing?!" I asked her.

"Me and my other vampire friends go out and create tons of mischief every night. It's quite enjoyable. Oh, if only you were a vampire as well. Then I could bring you with me." She said.

"What's stopping you?"

"My friends would catch a whiff of your intoxicating smell and all practically kill themselves trying to get their hands on you." She said smiling.

My eyes went wide. "Oh...is that all?" I asked sarcastically.

"No. I would then have to put all of them in their place and show them that you're mine!" She giggled. I chuckled nervously at that statement. She looked at me with her red eyes. "Well, goodnight delicious bastard." She pecked my cheek and took off to the sky. Leaving me baffled yet again. Why couldn't this be Clyde's problem?! On one hand, I'm trying to patch things up with Gabby but on the other hand, vampire Isabel is try make me hers! What the hell! Screw Clyde!

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Ward of Flames: Fireball!" I hurled the fiery sphere towards a group of guards, blasting them back. Another guard tried to slash me with his axe. I ducked under the swing and sent him a fast leg sweep. I got up and place hand on his face. "Ward of Flame: Melting Point!" My hand heated up to about ten thousand degrees Celsius. The man screamed briefly before shutting up. I turned to my left to see Xena drop twelve guys with just one lightning spell.

Xeno ran forward and blasted off of the ground, using his fire. "You dare come to my town and threaten my people!" He shouted in mid air. A bright flame surrounded his right fist. "You shall all burn to ash!" He thrusted his fist forward and a large yellow beam of solar energy destroyed about one third of the remaining troops.

" ...Such raw power…" I said with wide eyes.

Xena nodded and placed a hand on my shoulder. "My brother can be most aggressive when he is angry. It's best to steer clear of his attacks."

"Ok. I will." We fought our way into the center of the camp. Xeno stopped his blasts and glared at the man looking at us from the front of his troops. He clapped at us and smirked. He was a ripped, brown skinned man with spiked up golden hair. His eyes were hidden behind his glasses.

"We then, this is quite the surprise. I'll say it takes hella balls to do what you three managed to do." One of his men handed him a flask. He downed the alcohol and tossed it away. He then glared at us behind his shades. "You three are gonna fucking die. I already want your head mounted to my damn wall!" He said to Xeno.

"When this is over, it is you that will be used for decoration you low life scum!" Xeno shouted. He was surrounded by a fiery aura. His aura flared out and he instantly scorched all of basic troops. Xena had put up a protective bubble around us, shielding our bodies from Xeno's intense aura. He glared and blasted forward at the strange man and attempted to tackle him. The man stopped by thrusting his fist forward creating a forceful shockwave that sent Xeno flying back.

"Come now Xeno. Don't tell me the legendary pyromancer can't even hurt some filthy low life." He said chuckling.

"Xena...What just happened?!" I asked confused. "That guy didn't even land a hit on Xeno but he still got sent flying."

"That man isn't just some average person. His name is Rey Dé Písswottz." She answered. "It's said that he trained his body to pique physical condition. Once he reached his limit, he then broke through his own potential and can do many amazing things with his unlocked level of power. One of these things are increased speed, strength, reflexes and durability. He can hit so hard and so fast, that he is able to break the sound barrier and create a shockwave with just a simple punch." She explained to me.

I stared at the man in awe. "Can Xeno defeat him?!" I ask.

"Not like this. Xeno is extremely powerful with his magic. The only issue is with his mentality when it comes to most fights. His fire magic grows much stronger and burns much hotter when he's mad. He is able wipe out cities within seconds. The only problem is that while he does get a power boost, he is also killing himself." She said grimly.

"Killing himself?! How?"

"Fire magic may seem simple to grasp at first, but once you learn advance fire magic, it becomes high risk, high reward. You are a force of devastating magic but you also are burning out you mana flame. Too much mana energy at one moment WILL kill you. It is important to pick when you want to use up so much mana. Xeno's main problem is that he goes full force during the entirety of the fight. His flame has some what adjusted to this and his mana flame is less likely to burn out, however...every living thing can only last so long."

I looked back at Xeno again. He was attempting to strike the man with his flaming fists. Rey was just simply dodging his punches. Rey the delivered a punch directly to Xeno's stomach and kicked him away. Xeno's body dropped right in front of us. I slowly crawled back to his feet and powered up his fire. "Bastard!" He hissed.

"Xeno, let us help-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP BOY!" Xeno shouted at me as he turned around and sent me a nasty punch to the face. I dropped to the floor and held my cheek. "I don't need anyone's help with that son of a bitch. You may leave now if you wish. I will handle things from here!" He blasted off towards Rey once again, struggling to land a single hit.

Xena crouched down and checked my face. "He's gonna get himself killed Xena! We have to help." I said. She stared at Xeno with an unreadable expression. I got up and flared my mana, ready to jump in the fight.

"CLYDE!" Xena shouted. I looked at her confused. She shook her head at me. "Let him do this."

"But Xena! You said it yourself! He's gonna die. We have to help him."

"NO! Clyde, you will stand down! You don't understand Xeno. His whole life he's been trying to get stronger. Strong enough to best our older brother Xeto and prove to our father that he's more than just the second son. Xeno is a very prideful man. If there is an opponent that challenges him, he treats them as just another milestone. Ever battle Xeno goes into, he always find a way come out on top. This battle will be no exception. He just needs to calm down and use his head. He can do it Clyde. Just watch and let him prove it to you." Xena said with a smile.

I was still sceptical about the whole thing but I decided to believe in her words. I nodded my head and dropped my mana essence. "Ok. For his sake, I hope you're right."

Rey chuckled as he and Xeno were trading blow for blow. Rey clearly had the advantage given his physical abilities. I kneed Xeno in the chin and swatted him away. Xeno crashed down to the ground. He was panting with exhaustion. He got up and glared. Rey grinned slyly. "You know what Xeno? I think that I'll do you a quick solid. How's about, you hit me with your best shot!"

"Why the hell would you want me to do that, you bulked up bastard?!"

"I only get to kill you once. I want to see the look of defeat on your face when you realize that your best still wasn't enough to put around. Now just in case you didn't hear me the first time...I want you...to hit me...with your FULL power. Not half power. Not a quarter of your power. FULL power! You good with that?" Rey asked chuckling.

"And if I don't play along with your bullshit, little game..?"

"Then I guess you really are just the middle child!" Rey smirked.

Xeno glared hell at Rey. His flaming aura flared up yet again. He cupped his hands together. "Fine! You wanna play so bad?! I send you straight to a playground called Hell, you son of a bitch!" A bright yellow and orange orb began to form. It was so bright that Xena and I had to shield our eyes.

"Oh come on now. What are you gonna blind me to death? I got my shades on dumbass!" Rey grinned.

The orb shined even brighter and the temperature rose so high in the area that I had to surround myself in ice so that I wouldn't bake to death. Xeno's Eyes glowed and he grit his teeth. I looked at Xena with worry. "He's gonna burn the whole planet!"

"Remember what I said. Trust in him. He knows what he's doing."

Rey clapped his hands together. "Excellent! Now you're showing me something special!" He said.

"I'm going to show you how to die! WARD OF FLAMES: BLAZING INFERNO!!!" He sent out a ridiculously large blast of solar energy. The blast traveled towards Rey with extreme speed.

"Blazing inferno? What kinda name is...OH SHIT!" The blast consumed Rey, burning him to the core. His body was instantly reduced to nothing. Xeno flung his hands away from each other, causing the large blast to fade away. Xeno dropped to his knees. "Was...that *huff*... enough power...bitch…" He slumped to the floor, passed out.

Xena and I ran up to him. We could still feel the effects of the blast. It still felt extremely hot. We lifted up and began to carry him out of the burned down camp. I was still left in awe at that display of power. I thought that he was out of mana. That fact that he was able to do that while weak... it's overwhelming! I saw that Xena smiled slightly at her unconscious brother.

"Didn't I tell you Clyde? He really is amazing, isn't he?" She said.

"Yeah, no joke. His mana reserves are damn near endless for his to have enough to still fire off an attack like that."

As we were walking and nearing Pyrus, a thought zipped into my mind. "Why did the Number even concern themselves Xeno? They were better off steering clear of him and Pyrus all together."

"My brothers are known all over. They are either looked at and praised like gods, or they're hated and wanted dead in order to gain power."

"What about you?" I asked. I felt like something was missing.

"What about me?"

"I thought that... nevermind." I decided to hold my piece. If she wanted me to know then she'd tell me.

"Come on. We must bring him to Amora and Isabel. They can restore his status." She said as we entered the gates of Pyrus. This whole night was just so insane. The moment that Xeno wakes up and is better, I will ask him to train me in the art of the flames. I wish to wield that kind of power and I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I have to learn the advanced spell for fire if I want to reach my goal and even have a chance against Dex. I swore that I would since the day Isabel and I left Tetherex City and became apprentices.


	11. Burning Desires

(SHIRO'S POV)

Stupid Clyde! Getting special training from a legendary pyromancer. Screw him. I don't need fire to be the best. I'll kick ass without it.

I was currently doing push ups and sit ups until I was unable to continue. I was working my ass off just to even the odds against Clyde. His lame ass was in the middle of training his fire magic with Xeno. He offered to help Clyde advance his powers. Meanwhile, Eliza was pushing me to my limits with these dumbass calisthenics.

"C'mon kid! Push yourself!" The rogue said.

I continued to go above and beyond in my training until I caught a glimpse at Eliza's clothing...Or should I say, lack thereof. She was rocking a nice bikini that had me trembling."What are you wearing?!" I asked while wiping my nose.

"The ladies and I are gonna go head to the hot springs." She replied.

"Isn't that what got you all hypnotized?! You know...with the bard…" I asked.

"No. This is different...Now hurry up and finish so that I can leave!" Eliza shouted. Her sudden tone had alarmed me and forced me to quicken my pace.

-TWELVE MINUTES LATER-

I had finally finished my ridiculous amount of push ups and was resting with Vizeron. The wolf was currently laying down on my lap. I stared at him until he looked back at me.

"What?!" He asked confused.

"I don't know... I guess I was just thinking about old times."

"What do you mean?"

"Like how I used to be a prince and a screw up at the same time." I chuckled.

"You said your home got destroyed. What exactly happened?" Viz asked.

"It's not a day I like talking about…"

"Well then...talk about your family!"

I shook my head at his bluntness. "I had a little sister and a father. My father was the king and was usually busy with royal stuff. I usually spent time with my sister up until I was thirteen and learned about my family trait. You see...in the Tatsugami family, every first born son is supposed to gain the powers of the Righteous Seven, aka the start of our family tree. Now, for some reason, I didn't get those powers. I should have inherited them, but instead, I was left with nothing. I was supposed to gain access to the abilities of the Righteous Seven and put a stop to the Red Death...but I never did get them...and that alone costed me my family."

"Damn dude. That's some deep shit…" Viz said.

"Yeah...but that's in the past now. I need to continue my journey to get stronger so that I can face the man in red."

"Well if you're getting stronger then so will I!"

"Alright then. Why don't we take a little nap and then get back to our training."

"Whatever you say, beta male." Viz plopped down and went straight to sleep. I scratched the top of his head softly and closed my eyes.

-TEN YEARS LATER-

(??? POV)

"Ward of Flames: Solar Strike!" I slammed my burning fist into the rock, instantly reducing it to rubble. I continued down the path until I was greeted by a large fountain. This was no ordinary water fountain though. It was the fountain of Eve. Those that drink from the blood fountain are able to walk through the deep depths of the underworld. I had to drink. Only then will I be able to find he who is supposed to be the Master of All. I must free my family from this wretched nightmare.

Within just a few short weeks, the world had been submerged into complete chaos. It was the literal apocalypse...and I couldn't prevent it. I underestimated Metagenesis and now, he's got humanity backed into submission. Many of the heroes that tried to stop him, died in the process. I was the last hope for humanity. I must protect the remaining third of the population. I'm the only one who can.

I filled the Chalice of Hell with the thick blood from the fountain. I downed this liquid with little hesitation. The blood was extremely hard to swallow. It was warm and held a thick stench. I almost threw it back up but I stayed strong toughed it out. As I was nearly finished the slimy substance I began to sink about my oncoming depression. I was just a couple days ago when I had my family my arms and we were all happy. Now, they are all being held within the deep pits of NecroFall. I wish I was strong enough to protect them before this mess happened, but I wasn't. I tossed the chalice to the floor and clutched my stomach. Vicious waves of pain radiated throughout my body. I dropped to my knees while panting heavily. My vision became blurry and my head began to ache. Stood up with determination. I bit down on my thumb until I drew blood. I created a small pentagram on the stone ground beneath me.

"Acshz Vhzi Nezryt Mgszea Hytmru Zojhulm!" I chanted the names of the Six Kings of NecroFall. The pentagram began to glow and a bright beam of energy swirled around me. Within a matter of seconds, I was teleported to the underworld city. This was the start of my mission to free my family.

-PRESENT-

(SHIRO'S POV)

I snapped my eyes open to see that I was inside they really fancy looking room. "Where am I?" I asked, openly.

"We are currently residing inside of Xeno's tower. You were passed out so we carried you back with us." Amora said while she and Eliza had left the room.

I nodded to the white-haired healer. I got off of the soft bed it stretched my arms out. I looked to my side and saw that Viz was still asleep. He was thrashing around so I assumed that he was having a nightmare. I gently nudged I'm awake and gestured him out of the room.

Everyone, minus is Clyde and Xeno were at the top floor staring outside of the window. I moved in next to Gabby and Tazorac. I was confused as to why everyone was cuddled up in this area, so I asked. "What's going on?"

"Clyde is nearing the end of his training with Xeno. He's actually doing pretty well." Gabby said with a grin.

I walked up closer to Isabel and noticed her smile. Her cheeks were slightly red as she stared out of the window. "You can do it Clyde." She said happily. I took a mental note of that. I finally decided to look out the window myself, and trust me I was baffled. Clyde and Xeno will levitating high up in the air blasting ridiculous amounts of fire at each other. Both of their clothes were torn up and charred. Clyde's whole upper level of clothing had been burned away.

"What the hell?!" I said with shock.

"My brother has been teaching Clyde well. Xeno really did give Clyde the push that he needed to advance and master his fire." Xena said with a smile.

"But... how?!" I asked.

"Simple. He got Clyde to find his purpose. He gave Clyde a reason to always win and to fight with pride. Before Xeno trained him, Clyde was about, level 15. Now he's a level 23." Xena explained.

I almost choked on my own breath. "Level 24?! In only a few days?! DAMNIT!!!" I shouted. I'm already like the weakest one here...and now Clyde just widened the gap between us, exponentially. I had finally thought that I had caught up to him. I finally got to level 14 and now, he's ten more levels ahead of me. I need to find a way to get stronger like he did.

"Wow. He already hit 24? That's incredible!" Gabby said.

I looked at her questioningly. "What level are you?"

"I'm level 28. Why do you ask?" Gabby said with a smirk

She knew damn well why I asked that. I quickly looked at Isabel and asked what her level was. I almost fainted when she told me hers. "LEVEL 19?! WHAT THE HELL?!" I looked back out of the top floor window and continued Watching Clyde display his new found power to the rest of us.

-FEW MINUTES AGO-

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Are you ready for your final test, young Yukio?" Xeno asked me.

"Yes master Xeno! I am ready!*

"This has been a very long week, training you. I've watched you progress with amazing speed. You have adapted to the ways of fire in ways that most people could only dream of. You have shown heart and dedication throughout your training and for that, I would like to congratulate you... However, your training will not be completed until you are able to defeat my."

My eyes widened. I couldn't believe the words that he had just spoken. "You want me to fight you?!" I asked him.

"Indeed. All of this training would be meaningless if you could not apply what you learned into actual combat. In order for you to what you have learned, you will battle me using only the power of your flames."

"What?! How can I beat a pyromancer with fire?!" I asked.

"Everyone's flames burn differently. Use yours to best me in a duel." Xeno said. I was getting nervous and was loosing my nerve. It seemed so illogical to fight him with only fire. It wasn't just illogical. It was impossible! Xeno walked up to me and gave me a hard look. "You are losing yourself, child. You must never admit defeat before the battle as started. That shows weakness and a lack of pride."

"Isn't too much pride a bad thing?"

"Hell no! Pride is what motivates you to do better than others and to reach for new hights. Those that lack pride, have no purpose in this world." I looked down and let his words sink in. ", Tell me, child. What is your reason for getting stronger?"

"To be a Grand Sp-"

"No! That is not a true reason. That is a mere goal that you hope to achieve. You need a real reason to get stronger. What is your reason?" Xeon pressed on.

I looked at him and gave him a mixed looked. "I don't have a reason then…"

"Hmph. That won't do!" He shook his head. "That other boy... Shiro Tatsugami, correct? He may be a lower level than you, but his dedication and his reasoning are gonna make him unbelievably strong. He has a real reason for wanting to get stronger. That is what will push him to do great things. The same goes for the brown haired girl. She shows conviction and has a strong mentality. She clearly has a reason to get stronger and is willing to do anything to achieve her goals. When you first told me that you wanted to be a Grand Spellcaster, I was surprised. The road to become the next Grand Spellcaster is long and treacherous. Nobody is willing to go for that goal because it is a difficult thing to even hope to achieve. You must not only master all magic but you must also channel your mana essence and raise it to be the strongest. Even stronger than my father, Dex. The only way you will reach that level, is by having a real reason for growth."

"What should my reason be?" I asked him.

"I can't answer that for you, but I will say this…" He began to charge up his flaming energy. He grit his teeth and let out a loud shout. He blasted off, propelling himself forward with a blast of fire. "YOU BETTER FIND YOUR REASON FAST BECAUSE OUR FIGHT STARTS NOW!" Xeno rammed his flaming fist into my face and sent me flying back. I land on my feet and flared up my aura and lifted myself off of the floor. I flew at Xeno and blasted him with an orb of fire. He got pushed back slightly. He charged up his on orb of fire and flared his aura. The orb glowed brightly in his hand. He aimed his orb at me and narrowed his eyes. "Well then...what will you do against this attack." He said as his flaming orb grew.

"..." I stayed quiet and ignited my hands.

"I hope you're ready young Yukio!" He launched the ball of fire at me. I lifted my hands and brought them forward. I caught the huge ball of fire and held it in place. I thought that I had control of the situation but Xeno chuckled lightly. He lifted his hand and enlarged the flaming ball of and pushed it harder against me. I was slipping and struggling. "What's your reason?! You're gonna get overwhelmed, boy! Don't you want to win?!"

"Winning…isn't... everything…" I hissed.

"...No... it's just the only thing that truly matters!" He pressed the ball of fire further. I grit my teeth even harder and pushed back a little harder. "Don't you crave the sense of victory?"

"...Y-yes!" I said with a pain filled growl.

"Then say it boy! Say that you want to win. Say that you want to grow! When you say those words, think about why you want to get stronger!" Xeno thrusted his hand forward.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" I let out a large yell as the orb pushed me back.

"WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?!" Xeno shouted.

"...I"

"YOU WHAT?!"

"I want…"

"WHAT?!"

"I WANT TO WIN GODDAMNIT!!!" I flared up my aura and lifted the flaming orb and pushed it back at Xeno. "I want to be the best! I want to go back home and tell all the people that doubted me, that I did something they could never do! I WANT TO STRIKE FEAR INTO THOSE THAT PICKED ON ME AND ISABEL! I WANT TO MAKE HER FEEL SAFE WITH ME, AND ME ALONE! I WANT HER TO LOVE ME!!!"

Xeno swatted the blast away and grinned. "Excellent! I can see the passion in your eyes young Yukio! You know what you want! NOW COME ON AND ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS!"

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" I charged up my flaming mana and pushed off the ground. I didn't notice that I was now levitating.

"Good for you. You've managed to force your mana downward. Flight is quite a difficult thing to do. Let's continue our battle."

"Yes sir!" I said as I flew at him.

-PRESENT-

(SHIRO'S POV)

Clyde was really going at it. He was sending a barrage of fireballs at Xeno. Xeno dodged them and flew forward sending Clyde a flaming roundhouse. Clyde ducked and sent Xeno a fiery uppercut. Xeno backflipped and cupped his hands together. "Ward of Flames: BLAZING INFERNO!" He sent out a blast of solar energy towards Clyde. Clyde cocked back one of his now burning hand and thrusted his open palm at the blast. Clyde's flaming aura appeared and he let out a yell. Xeno's blast faded and Clyde grinned. Clyde flew at Xeno, holding a fist full of fire. "Ward of Flames: Phoenix Blast!" Clyde hurled the blast of fiery energy at Xeno from point blank range. Xeno was sent flying through the window that we were all watching the fight from.

Xeno smiled with excitement and picked himself up. "Very good young Clyde! You are once again, exceeding my expectations. Keep at it!" Xeno flew back out of the window. The two of them wen right back to duking it out.

I continued to what with ever growing malice. I can't believe that Clyde got so strong. He's actually holding his own out their. Here I am, just watching him be kick ass. I decided that I saw enough and walked away from the shattered window.

"Where'er you goin?" Gabby asked.

"I gotta go...do a thing…" I said.

She rolled her and waved me off. "Don't be gone too long. We're leaving tonight."

"I won't. I just gotta take care of something." I told her.

"Can I come?" Viz asked.

"No. Stay here and chill. I'll be back." I told the small wolf.

"Whatever beta male."


	12. Souls Moving Soullessly

(SHIRO'S POV)

~WHAAACKK~

I cracked my knuckles and glared at the group of thugs. "Next time you wanna steal, don't do it in public!" I said to them. I handed the lady back her purse and she thanked me. I ran back around the city looking for any more bastards that I could whoop. I only managed to level up once from my three hour escapade. I halted my running to look at my surroundings. It was quiet...too quiet. I closed my eyes and sensed any weird forms of mana. I didn't take me long to catch a lock on the enormous level of mana coming from a dark alleyway. I lifted my guard up and cautiously followed my senses.

"Why so tense, little buddy?" Said a sly voice.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked.

"Heheheh...Quite the determined one…" A tall brown skinned man with snow white hair stepped out of the shadows. His grin left me uneasy and even more tensed. "You know, I sensed your distraught. You seek strength kid, and I can show you the way."

"Bullshit! Like hell you can help me. You're just some creep in an alleyway."

"Tell me something boy...do you understand what soul energy is?"

"Not a damn clue…"

"Soul energy comes from the will of a fighter. It's an alternative power source for those not interested in mana." He lifted his hand up and a purple aura surrounded it. "You can manipulate the energy to either attack, defend, or heal. In some cases, having mastery over soul energy can grant the user with the ability to manipulate the souls of other people. Those people are called Soul Weavers. It is a powerful ability and one that should not be taken lightly."

"Are you a Soulweaver?" I asked the man.

"Damn straight. I trained with a man that was in an alleyway just like this one."

"...Creep…"

"I'm kidding. So are you gonna learn from me and gain the strength that you desire?"

"...I don't know. My mentor told me not to talk to strangers."

"Then let me introduce myself. My name is Tomix Rippendum. My friends just call me Tom the Ripper."

"Wooooow, that so...I don't care…" I said rolling my eyes.

"You know, I'm starting to like you kid!"

"Look dude, how long is this "training" gonna freaking take? I kinda gotta leave soon."

"Oh don't worry kid. I'm just unlocking your true potential. You're going to be handling the rest." He replied with a grin.

"Fine. Can we hurry this up." I huffed out.

"No problem." He fazed in front of me and jabbed his palm into my chest. I staggered back and held my throbbing chest. I saw a bright, purple glow from underneath my shirt. It was a handprint with an eye in the middle.

"W-What the hell?! What did you do to me." I asked with panic.

"Don't worry kid. Training is already halfway through." He responded with a chuckle.

I clutched my head as a sharp pain ran through it. I dropped to my knees, closed my eyes and let out a loud yell. "DAAAAAAMN IT!" The agonizing pain had eventually washed over and when I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a strange place. Everything was so bizarre. The place was all black with white borders. Every creature that was here was a transparent, bright purple figure. Even Tomix was like this. "Where am I?"

"Welcome to Limbo, aka the Soulscape. When you end up here, you will see the inner souls of those around you. With you cross the Spiritual plane and get to this world, your full power can be displayed. You can use your soul energy without limitations."

"I have limits to all of this shit?" I asked him.

"Just like mana, soul energy has a limit of use before exhaustion. The key difference is that in order to train soul energy, you gotta train you soul."

"How the hell do I do that?!"

Can't tell you that part, kid. Everyone has a different soul. Each soul has a different motive. If you want to train yours, then start by finding out what makes you tick."

"Why that of all things?"

"Easy. Soul energy builds from emotions. You want to get stronger so if I were you, I'd get angrier." He grinned at me again.

I closed my eyes and thought about everything that pissed me off. Stubbed toes, guys with short shorts, Clyde, being told that I can't do something, Gabby swerving me, Clyde, getting my ass kicked, THE FUCKING REDMAN...and also Clyde! I snapped my eyes open and glared. I felt my soul energy and it terrified me to no end. A monstrous hurricane of energy flowed through me. The energy was dense and it felt like it held a sinister feeling to it. For some reason it felt...alive…

Tomix was clapping his hands together and smiling. "Excellent work kid. Look at you releasing all of that pent up frustration!"

I glared at him. The intensity of my glare shattered the environment around. I ended up back at the alleyway with Tomix. "I'm gonna ask again. What did you do to me?!"

"Whatever do you-"

~WHAAAMM!~

"AWW BITCH!" He yelled from on the ground. He was holding onto his potentially broken cheek bone.

"Quit playing with me! What is this energy that you just put inside of me?!" I snapped

"Soul energy. Just like I said-"

"NO! There is something else you did to me. This strangeness...this negative energy... I feel it from within. Talk! Now!"

"Heheheh... You're quite the perceptive person. Congratulations kid! You've been selected to be MG's new predecessor. Soul energy is crossed off of the list of things you need to obtain, next is Destructive energy, then followed by Chaotic!"

My glare intensified. "So you're just a bunch of villainous bastards." I cracked my knuckles.

Tomix chuckled. "Criminals? No. Liberators? Ding ding ding! MG isn't trying to rule the world. He's trying to free it. He sent me to watch out for you. Make sure you were the right choice."

"...What?!"

"It'll all make sense eventually...for now, I bid you farewell kid." Purple static surrounded his legs and he jumped up into the air hopping rooftop to rooftop.

I looked down at my hands. They were surrounded with the purple aura. "God dammit…" I muttered.

I turned and headed back in the direction of the others. This was all just too much.

-AT THE PYRUS DOCKS-

(CLYDE'S POV)

"WHERE IS THAT IDIOT?!" Tazorac shouted.

"What if he died?" Vizeron said with a chuckle.

"Wait... I sense something approaching. That energy though... it's so strange." I said feeling a wicked energy.

Then outta nowhere, Shiro slammed down on the docks, going straight through the wooden boards. Splashing into the water. He climbed back up and walked over to us. "Sorry I'm late. I was-"

"Nevermind that! Get your ass on the ship!" Tazorac snapped.

"Are we headed back to Rai Town?" I asked.

"No. We got business in NecroFall." Eliza said. "Friend of mine is trying to open up shop in the city's outskirts. She needs a hand."

"Why is she doing it in NecroFall? Isn't that... dangerous?" I asked.

"She blends in quite well. Either way, she needs help and I owe her a favor." She replied.

"Why do we all have to go?" Shiro asked.

"She could use the extra set of hands. Now let's go already!" She shouted a little too excitedly.

Shiro sighed with annoyance. "How long is the ride gonna be?"

"Twelve hours…" Xena said.

"DAMN!!!"

-SIX HOURS LATER-

I was surprised at how quiet Shiro actually was during the ship ride. I thought he'd just complain the whole time, but here he was just sitting there, meditating. I will say this though. Something was very off about him. I could not only sense his mana essence, but I could also feel something else... something sinister…

Meanwhile, Isabel and I were sitting here watching the clouds go by. I couldn't help but sneak a few glances at her. Everytime she was near me, I felt weak to the core. I couldn't feel any resentment towards her. We were so open to each other that we would practically tell each other everything. I told her everything about me and she told me everything about her. We shared a bond that I never wanted to break. That was the reason I was so hesitant about telling her how I really felt. The last thing I wanted was to ruin what we already had. It did kill me that I didn't know what she thought of me. I hope she wants the same thing that I do. I stared at her as she held a depressed look. I nudged her gently. She looked at me and attempted a small smile. "You alright?" I asked her.

She nodded but dropped her smile. "I'm fine, Clyde."

"Don't lie to me. I've known you for ten years. I think I know when something's up with you."

"To be honest, I just don't wanna go to NecroFall."

"Oh so you're scared of the creepy undead?" I asked jokingly.

"I don't think so Clyde."

"Is it the Werewolf Clan that gives you the chills." I poked her side with my index finger making her jump.

"Clyde cut it out." She said giggling.

I was laughing with her as well. "Or is it those blood sucking bastards?" I asked while still laughing. I looked over at Isabel and she held a distant look. "... Isabel?" She got up and walked away from me, leaving me confused. "Did I say something wrong?" I asked. DAMNIT!

I sighed and got up. What was wrong with me. I just don't understand how I can get outta the friend zone with her. I decided to focus on training my fire and improving my magic.

(GABBY'S POV)

I was shadow boxing in order to perfect my technique. While I was honing my skills, Isabel came over and plopped down on a nearby crate. I looked at her with confusion and then gave her a look of realization. "What did Shiro do this time?" I asked, cracking my knuckles.

"Nothing. I just have a lot to think about...Gabby…" She started.

"What is it?" I asked, sitting next to her.

"What do you do when you have secrets, and you want to share them...but you can't…" She asked.

"Well for starters, I try my best to think about how bad it'll be if others will find out about the secret themselves and if it's worth the risk." I told her.

She nodded and sighed. She then looked at me and raised a brow. "Gabby what do you think about Clyde and Shiro?"

That question caught me off guard. "Why would you wanna know that?!"

"No reason in particular...Just curious…" She said with a blush.

"Well um...I uh... I don't know! Clyde's cool I guess. He's at least tolerable. I can't say the same for the idiot though. He's loud, obnoxious, rude, vulgar, hot headed, and all around annoying. He has no respect for boundaries and is a complete pervert!"

Isabel stared at me with wide eyes. "...Wow…"

"...I just...I don't know…"

"Shiro isn't that bad." Isabel said.

"I mean, in terms of what? He not very strong, he's not smart. What's he got going for him?"

"He's pretty confident."

"Confidence like Shiro's, gets people killed!" I said.

"Hmm...Well he's at least kinda cute, right?"

"Oh, please. Don't make me sick. I'm not interested in that scrawny jackass." I told her.

"Really? I dunno. He's pretty funny to me. You gotta admit that much at least."

"I don't find his humor very laughable."

Isabel giggled at my words. "I don't buy it. You can't hate him THAT much."

"Well, the only thing we have in common is our home. Other than that, I could care less about him."

"Sure…"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" I asked her.

"Oh nothing…"

"What about you and Clyde?!" I said changing the subject.

"What... W-what do you mean?"

"You two are pretty close. You've gotta like him!"

"I...I don't know... he's really sweet but, he's...not ready…"

"For you? Or-"

"For the repercussions. I'm not exactly ready either. One day I'll tell him but for now, I need to be careful."

"Right…" I noticed that she was looking at Shiro who was doing handstand push-ups on his pinky.

"Well I have to go talk to Shiro now. Thanks for this Gabby."

"Uh yeah, no problem."

I won't lie. She gave me a lot to think about.

(SHIRO POV)

"789...790...791…" I was pushing my physical limits while Viz was next to me, cheering.

"H-hey...Shiro." I heard Isabel say to me.

"792...Yeah Izzy? 793...794…"

"W-we are going to NecroFall…"

"795...I know…796…"

"You know...w-where the vampires live."

"797...798...799…"

"My other half bit you, so that means that I marked you…"

"800!" I flipped up and stood on my feet. Viz clapped his paws a grinned. I looked at Isabel with a raised brow. "Yeah. I know."

"So all the other vampires are gonna know. All including my cruel and overprotective father. The one that will smell my scent on you!" She said freaking out.

"Relax Isabel...just relax…" I said hoping to reassure her.

-AT THE WALL OF DREAD-

"WHAT THE HELL?!" I shouted. Here we were, right outside of the underworld city. Only problem was that we were all mortal so we couldn't actually enter the city. "How are we supposed to deliver that dumbass Chalice of Hell that Haruka gave us in like chapter five?! HOW!!!" I asked, frustrated.

"Will you relax you idiot. Xena and Amora are about to use a spell to hide out mortality." Clyde said scoffing.

"Dick…" I muttered.

After we were all hit with the spell, we stepped through the wall and right away were left in awe. The city was one large city divided into six slightly smaller cities. Each of the six cities was separated by a large wall. Another distinct thing about the city was that the moment you step foot through the wall, everything gets dark. Apparently the city is always engulfed in the night with a full blood moon looming over it.

"Ok, so Viz and I are gonna go look for Zey and-"

"Are you outta your mind?! You can't go around the city looking like that!" Tazorac shouted.

"Why not?" I asked.

"As you may or may not know the city is divided into separate sections. Each section is home to a different type of monster that resides within the city." Xena explained.

"Yeah, so?"

"So if you walk around looking like the way you do, you'll be identified as a human mortal and get killed for trespassing within the city grounds." Clyde yelled.

"Okay okay damn. I get it. So how are we getting into the actual city."

"We need to get to Marlene. She's the one we're helping. She's opening up her potion shop somewhere just outside of the city." Eliza said.

-18 MINUTES OF WALKING LATER-

As we were walking and nearing the shop, I was noticing that Izzy was acting really strange. Every time I look back at her, I catch her staring at me with that hungry look. Either she's slowly turning to her nightly vampire self or I'm just that good looking... probably the second option.

The shop we got to was small and decorated with bones. It looked pretty creepy. We stepped inside and we're greeted a witch lady whom was extremely gorgeous. No joke! I was wandering around while Eliza greeted her old friend.

"Eliza, it's good to see you!" The both said.

"Trust me, we're glad to help. Right guys?"

"..." We all stayed silent.

"They're still not used to this place."

"Not to be rude or anything, but why are we here?" I asked. Gabby instinctively elbowed me in the ribs.

Eliza gave me a death stare. "Because we are helpful people." She turned back to the witch. "So... What's on the to do list?"

"Well for starters, I need supplies from two of the main sub-cities. Werewolf Clan and Vampire Capital."

"Don't all of them eat humans?" Clyde asked.

"Yep." The witch said as if it was ok.

"Oh God!" I shouted. "How are we gonna get in?!" I asked.

"Simple." She threw dust at all of us. "The won't eat you if you're on of them. Then again, one of you should have a little trouble getting in." I knew she was referring to Isabel.

"Isabel and I will go to-" Clyde started.

"Shiro and I are going to the Vampire Kingdom!" Isabel shouted while dragging me out of the shop. She tugged me a good distance and then stopped and turned to me.

"Uh…Izz?" I said uneasily.

She closed her golden eyes and let out a breath. She then giggled and opened her now red eyes. "I missed you Tatsugami." She cupped my cheeks and smashed her lips against mine. "I can't wait to show you my home. You're gonna love it!"

"I have an eerie feeling that I won't." I replied.

"Oh would you just relax. You'll be safe around me." She said pressing her chest against mine. "Just watch."

"You sure about this?" I asked her.

"I swear it! Now let's go!" She grabbed my arm and blasted off into the night sky leaving me with a paranoid mindset. I held on tight hoping not to fall to my death.

The moment we landed we were just outside of a gothic-looking city. Isabel smiled widely and stepped close to me. She pecked me on the lips and drag me towards the biggest building, which was pretty much just a castle. The castle was surrounded by a blood mote. The gates were guarded by two vampiric soldiers.

"Damn…" I whispered to myself.

"Well come on, will ya. Let's go head inside. I can't wait for you to meet my family!" She said.

Oh God! I was not looking forward to that part of the tour. Free me!


	13. Tale of Two Cities

(GABBY'S POV)

"I'm hungry!" Viz complain for like the third time during our long walk. Both him and Clyde were driving me crazy!

Clyde, Viz and I were on our way to the Werewolf Clan. I looked back and saw Clyde sulking and trailing far behind us. "Clyde would you pick up the pace!" I shouted at him. He grumbled an inaudible response and continued to walk slow. I growled angrily at him and stomped towards him. I gripped him up by the collar and glared daggers at him. "What's your problem?!"

"I... it's just that…"

"What?!"

"It's Shiro! Why did Izzy choose to leave with him?!" He shouted.

"Are you serious?! Clyde, it's seriously not that deep."

"Not that deep?! Are you kidding me? She clearly wants him more than me!"

"No she doesn't!" I snapped at him.

"Yes she does! She loves Shiro! All she wants is Shiro!"

"No she doesn't! You're in denial, Clyde!"

"Oh get real Gabriella! I am positive that she wants him! It's hopeless! I've got no chance. Who knows what they're doing right now!"

(SHIRO'S POV)

"..." I sat at the long table, nervously twiddling my thumbs. I was in a room filled with vampires! To make matters worse, Isabel's dad was sitting there glaring at me. WHY COULDN'T THIS BE CLYDE. I WANTED TO GO WITH GABBY!!!

"So… Mister Tatsugami...how long have you and my daughter been... involved..?" Izzy's dad asked.

"Excuse me?"

"How long have you been with my daughter? You have her scent all over you so I can assume that you have been quite... intimate with her." Oh shit! Isabel did get all touchy feely with me...

"...Uh...few months…" I said nervously.

"Interesting…and what level Vampire are you? My daughter should only be with the strongest. Isabel just so happens to be a level 58 Vampire. Her fiance, Darius just so happens to be a level 42 Vampire."

"Um... I am a...level...70…" I said shakily.

The room grew silent and I was sweating bullets. I was just about ready to stab myself. "Level 70…" Her dad muttered.

"..." I was silent.

"Then you wouldn't mind battling my daughter's fiance and claiming her as yours, right?" He asked with narrowed eyes. My blood ran cold and I almost fainted.

"What?!"

"Dearest father. Shiro can't do battle at the this particular moment."

"Why is that?!" He shouted angrily.

"Yes dear sister, why can't he?" A white haired woman said to her. I guess that was her big sister.

"I uh... I wouldn't wanna hurt anyone!" I shouted. I decided to hype myself up with nonsensical bluffing in hopes of intimidating everyone...bad Idea, I know. "I can't control my own strength. I'm too powerful."

"Too powerful huh." Said a deep voice. I looked back and saw a strong looking pale guy with slicked back, red hair. "I would like to test that theory."

"What…" I said slowly.

"BATTLE ME SHIRO TATSUGAMI! I wish to claim Ms. Yang for myself!" The red haired guy shouted.

"I don't think I should... I'm quite the pacifist." I said sweating somehow harder than before.

"Nonsense. We shall do battle in the Colosseum immediately! I wish to prove my love for Isabel and make her Mrs. Kingsley." He said.

I looked at Izzy, who had a depressed look on her face. "Uh... could you excuse me for a second." I ran up to Isabel, grabbed her arm and ran out of the room.

"LEVEL 42?! I'M ONLY LEVEL 17! I CAN'T FIGHT HIM!" I quietly shouted. She cupped my face in her hands and gave me a sad smile.

"You'll be fine! You can take him... I think…"

"Why is he your fiance anyway? Why did you even leave home to begin with?" I asked her.

"I never wanted to marry Darius. From the moment I was born, my life had already been predestined. I would marry Darius Kingsley, who is the general of the Vampiric Army and together we would wipe out the Werewolf Clan for good and end our life long war. Only problem was that I never wanted anything to do with that. I don't like Darius, I don't want to be responsible for exterminating the Werewolf race and I don't want to feel like a prisoner." She said getting heated up. I put a comforting hand on hand on her shoulder and gave her a determined look.

"I'll kick his ass for you then. Just so that you can be free of him. Truthfully, I don't believe in that predestined bullshit." Isabel jumped on me and trailing kisses all over my face.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You are the best, Tatsugami!" She pulled me in close and lightly nibbled on my neck. "That's for good luck." She said while licking her lips.

I walked back into the dining room and slammed my fist on the table. I gave Darius a determined look. "I'll fight you dude, and I'm gonna kick your pale ass!"

-IN THE COLOSSEUM-

"Am I really doing this shit?!" I Shouted to myself.

"You got this Shiro!" Izzy yelled at me.

"Do not dare hold back Tatsugami!" Yelled my opponent. I don't think I have a choice.

The vampire ran at me with blinding speed and decked me across the jaw. I staggered back and held myself. I raised my guard and put up my dukes. He vanished and reappeared behind me. He launched me forward. I was sent tumbling to the dirt floor beneath me. I got up and threw a few punches but I was way too slow to do much of anything. He avoided all of my swings and kneed me in the gut. I doubled over and dropped to my knees.

"Level 70? What a joke!" The bastard snickered as he kicked me away. "You're done for dude. You gotta be the weakest vampire I have ever faced. After I beat you to a pulp, I will profess my love to Isabel and with her mother and father's blessing, I shall marry her and-"

"Do you ever shut the hell up?! You just keep talking and talking. Quite frankly, it's getting on my last GODDAMN NERVE!" I growled at him. I felt the soul energy swell from inside of me. Purple aura flowed around me and I felt light on my feet.

"How dare you speak to me in such a way! I will dispose of you, instantly!" He glared at me and I flipped him off.

"You gonna cry or something? Gimme a break!" I said as I sprinted at him. I threw sixteen punches in less than a second, all of which connected with ease. I spun around quickly and landed and back heel kick to his jaw. Before he could recover from my kick, I flipped forward and unsheathed my daggers. I slashed at him, leaving a wide gash across his chest. He kicked me away from him and glared.

"Not bad. I'm not sure how your power increased so drastically, but you're done for." He snarled as he gripped his fist. A deep red aura surrounded him and he let out a loud shout.

"Whatever…" I said with narrowed eyes. We charged at each other and he sent me a heavy punch to my chest. I coughed a bit and zipped forward. I jumped up and twirled myself in the air. "WHIRLWIND SLASH!" I shouted. He lifted up his arms and shielded his face from my spinning attack. His arms were leaking profusely and he grit his teeth.

"I refuse to lose to somebody like you! I will kill you and claim what's mine." He began to change his appearance right before my eyes. His eyes lacked pupils and his full fangs were exposed. His hands were now brandishing a full set of claws, his hair grew down to his back and bat wings sprouted from his back. "Go on! Transform into your real self. You can't beat me the way you are while I'm like this."

"Tch, bitch please... I'll still kick your sad ass." I readied my daggers and glared. "Now come at me!"

(CLYDE'S POV)

Gabby and I had finally reached the Werewolf Clan's city, Ragnarok. The place was a more modest area with tons of people that wore loose, open, tattered and baggy clothes. Nobody here wore shoes either. The people here had all seemed a little bit too comfortable with each other.

"We need to get to the Chief and ask him about the supplies." Gabby said to Vizeron and I.

"Don't worry guys, I have a way with these people. Let me do the talking." Vizeron said while grinning.

"You sure about that Vizeron? You're just a wolf, not a werewolf." I said to him.

"Don't worry about it. I got this." He said. He lifted his front two paws and started walking on his hind legs. He stepped through the double doors of the central building. "HELLO MY FELLOW ANTHROPOMORPHIC WOLVES! It is I, Vizeron the great!" Everyone in the lobby of the building looked towards us with untrusting glances.

I face palmed and sighed with annoyance. "Is he serious?" I muttered.

"I must speak to your Chief!" Vizeron shouted.

"... He's in the back…" A gruff looking guy said as he puffed his cigarette.

"Oh...well thank you kind sir." Vizeron said as he walked over to the back room.

We walked into the backroom and we saw that a tall hairy looking man was sitting at a wooden table. He seemed to be playing some type of card game with an angry looking woman. "Damn you to hell ya cheatin' bastard! I ought to spade ya' till yo ole buckets been kicked!" The woman said angrily. The man took a swift sip of his beer and gestured her out. The lady stormed past us. The hairy man at the table looked at us and waved us in.

I decided not to waste anymore time. "Are you the chief?"

"..." The man stayed silent.

"No seriously we need to talk to him." Vizeron chimed in. Gabby crossed her arms and glared at the man.

"... What do you want..?" He asked in a raspy voice. He sounded like he gargled rocks.

"There's a witch opening up a potions shop outside of NecroFall. She needs supplies from you." Gabby said hastily.

"If that's why you're here then you're better off just leaving now. We are at war right now and we need everything we have."

"At war?! With whom?" I asked

"Who else?! Those shit sucking vampires!" My eyes widened and an unknown emotional swirled within me.

"... Vampires…" I hissed with hatred.

"Uh... Clyde...are you ok?" Vizeron asked me. I wasn't listening to him though. Vampires ruined my life and now, I have the chance to get them back for what they did.

"Chief...how can we be of service?" I asked.

"Clyde are you insane?! This isn't our task! Their war has nothing to do with us." Gabby shouted.

"I don't care...and even if it has nothing to do with us, the quicker we help them, the quicker we get the supplies."

"Hey...that does make sense." Vizeron barked in agreement.

"What do you say Chief...we help you, you help us... sound like a plan?" I asked stoically.

"Very well then. It's a deal."

(ISABEL'S POV)

Wow. I can't even lie. Shiro was lasting much longer than I thought. He was actually holding up pretty well again Darius. I truthfully can't stand Darius. He irritates me to no end. His constant claims over me are gonna drive me insane! I hope Shiro kicks his arrogant ass.

I was sitting in the stands with my family. Darius's family were directly across from us. They were cheering him on while he was currently pounding the shit outta Shiro while in his full transformation. I could see the frustration on Shiro's face. I looked to my father to see his expression. I knew he wanted Shiro to lose the fight. The whole reason I left home was because he wanted to marry Darius. He was always dictating my life so I had no hesitation when it came to leaving this place... even if it meant halving my power.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!" Shiro screamed. He was currently being squeezed within Darius fist. His eyes were clenched tightly and his teeth were grit with agony. The sound of bones breaking could be heard all throughout the colosseum. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

"C'mon Shiro…" I whispered to myself.

"Why does he refuse to transform? Is he that prideful? He will die if he does not use his full capabilities." My older sister said.

"Such arrogance will surely cost him. What a fool." My older brother hissed.

What did I get him into?! He was out there fighting for his life and I'm the reason he's here in the first place. I didn't think I'd come at such drastic times. I didn't know what to do. If I intervene, they'll all figure out that he's not a vampire. If I don't, he'll get murdered!

"Daughter... Please explain to me...where did you meet that young man?" My mother asked.

"I met him… in the Siege District. He was with a group of other vampires." I lied.

"Mhm...is he truly as strong as he claims?" My dad asked.

"...He is very capable of accomplishing daring feats." I replied vaguely.

I looked back down towards Shiro and Darius. Shiro was viciously getting slammed into the ground. He looked horrible to say the least. He slowly got back up to continue the useless fight.

"I... I could do this all night…" He choked out.

"It is always night, you half wit."

"Screw you, dude!" Shiro said while spitting a drip of blood at him.

Darius took a sniff at the blood and grinned. I looked on with realization and worry. Darius was catching on too the fact that Shiro was a human. He flew at Shiro and drove his large fist straight at Shiro. Shiro's body bounce across the colosseum. He crawled back up to his feet and I winced at his injuries that he had received. He picked his head up and glared at Darius.

"I WON'T LOSE TO YOU!" He screamed.

"Look at you! You're already beaten! You have yet to even injure me while in this form! This fight is over for you. You're nothing but child's play!"

"Over you say... That's funny... I haven't even started fighting for real." Shiro said with his eyes hidden behind his brown hair. I noticed that the purple aura he showed earlier had returned. Purple static surrounded his arms and legs. He tilted his head to the side and showed his wicked smile. "You lookin to play, huh…" Shiro then vanished and reappeared behind Darius. Darius went for a back fist only to hit a blurry image of Shiro.

"What?! Where did he-" Darius started

~ ** _SLICE!_** ~

Then, faster than the eye could see, Shiro sliced Darius in the face. "CONCEALED STRIKE!" Blood spattered all across the colosseum. Darius staggered back while holding his bleeding left eye.

"YOU GODDAMN WORM! I WILL END YOU!" Darius shouted angrily.

"Incredible! What type of vampire is he?!" My older brother asked.

"Such speed. It's ludicrous!" My sister added.

I smiled confidently at Shiro's uproar. He was still in the fight. If he kept this pace up, he just might win this. Darius looked up and growled with seething rage. Shiro had reappeared to confront him. "That all you got? If so then label me disappointed."

"You fool! You won't defeat me! I know your secret. You're a mortal. You're nothing more than just a human. I'm going to devour you and claim my lovely bride!" Darius shouted.

"You'll die trying. I can assure you that much." Shiro replied. I smiled at those bold words of his. Why didn't my other side claim him already?! If I always had full control, he be mine already!

"I'm going to squash you like a bug that you are!" Darius charged at Shiro but his size couldn't keep up with Shiro's ridiculous speed. Darius kept swinging and swinging, but he couldn't land a single hit on Shiro, who was effortlessly dodging. "Why can't I hit you?!"

"Probably because you're bigger and uglier than before." Shiro remarked with a grin. Darius slammed his fist at the standing Shiro, but only hit his blurry image.

"I won't fall for that a second time!" Darius yelled as he raised his guard. Shiro slashed at his arms with an "X" shaped cut. Darius screamed with pain and the bottom half of his arms dropped to the coliseum's floor. "WHAT?!" Shiro appeared in front of him quickly and smirked wildly at what he had done to his opponent.

"Looks like you're unarmed, jackass!" Said a laughing Shiro. He stood stiff and the bowed forward.

"You dare mock me you filthy mortal?!" Darius snarled.

"I'm not mocking you…I'm just getting ready to finish you off." Shiro's purple aura flared up and surrounded him. His eyes shifted to a bright purple color. "FOOTWORK!" He shouted. Within the blink of an eye, Shiro had land about five hundred fifty three slashes all over Darius's body. He was moving so fast that multiple images of himself were all over the colosseum. Shiro kicked Darius up into the air, vanished and reappeared high up into the air, directly above the ascending Darius. His right leg was pointing straight up. Purple static dancing vigorously around it. "Lights out BITCH!"

~ ** _WHHHAAAAAMMMM!!!_** ~

Shiro slammed his heel down, directly on top of Darius's skull, sending him crashing down to the floor, leaving a large crater in the center of the colosseum. As Darius attempted to get back to his feet, Shiro slammed down on him with his two daggers. Needless to say, I was baffled at what he just did to his opponent. The whole colosseum went quiet. Everyone was shocked including me.

"Well...is that what you wanted?!" Shiro asked out loud. "I kicked his ass just like I said!"

"...It appears that you are of adequate power. I give you full permission to take my daughter's hand in marriage." Said my father.

"...Thanks?" Shiro said awkwardly. How cute.

"It shall be you two that will lead the destruction of Ragnarok. Those overgrown mutts be damned!" My father yelled.

"WHAT?!" Shiro and I shouted in unison.

"Let us quickly prepare the wedding and then soon after, we will discuss our plans to invade Ragnarok!" My family along with Darius's family flooded out of the Colosseum in order to set up the ceremony, leaving Shiro and I. I hopped down to the colosseum floor and walked over to the wide eyed Shiro.

"...So...this is gonna be something." I'd be lying if I said was wasn't happy to be married to Shiro but I didn't want it like this. He was supposed to propose to me goddamnit!

"I CAN'T GET MARRIED YET! I'M STILL YOUNG AND I'M NOT READY FOR COMMITMENT!!!" He shouted.

"Shiro-"

"AND WHAT ABOUT THOSE FREAKING SUPPLIES?! HOW CAN WE GET THOSE IF WE GOTTA GO WIPE OUT PEOPLE WE DON'T EVEN FREAKING KNOW?!" He continued to yell hysterically.

"Shiro-"

"OH GOD! I FORGOT TO FEED VIZ!!!"

"SHIRO!" I shouted at him.

"Yes ma'am…"

"Don't worry. I have a plan."

(VIZERON'S POV)

Fuck Shiro...


	14. I Do and I Don't

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Do you, Shiro Tatsugami, take Princess Isabel, to be your lawfully wedded wife, for the rest of your eternal Vampiric life?" The whack ass priest asked me.

Here I was... fifteen years old and already getting hitched to the princess of vampires...why was this not CLYDE?! I looked at the thousands of vampires that attended the wedding. The whole vampire Kingdom came to see their princess tie the knot to some random bastard that just so happened to be me.

"Ahem! Mr. Shiro…" The priest cleared his throat and nudged me.

"Huh?! Oh right…" I looked at Isabel's pretty ass and she winked at me and gave me a smile. "... I uh... I do…" I said with evident uncertainty plastered on my face.

"And do you, Princess Isabel, take this... person...to be your lawfully wedded husband, and to spend eternity with him." The priest continued.

"I do!" She said a little too eagerly.

"Well then I now pronounce you, man and wife!" He looked at me and smiled. "You may now kiss the bride."

I was sweating my ass off. Were we really going to do this?! This was crazy I'm not even a real vampire! Why the hell was Isabel smiling?!

"Now's your part…" She whispered to me.

I never actually kissed her out of my own free will. I usually just let her do whatever, but now that I have to legitimately smooch it up with her in front of her ENTIRE kingdom... I was losing my resolve. I decided to suck it up and follow her lead. I moved my face closer to her and without anything left to do, I lightly pressed my lips against hers. I'm not sure what happened but I was feeling all flustered this time. In fact, I think that this had to be the first time I had a somewhat successful kiss. Unfortunately I forgot where I was and what I was doing... hormones are a bitch you know…

I turned the delicate, innocent kiss into something more. I guess I was filled with unbridled passion or some shit like that because I firmly grabbed her hips and tugged her closer and deepening the kiss. I noticed her eyes widened and her cheeks go red at my actions but, I just couldn't help myself. I honestly don't know what the hell got into me, but if this keeps up then I know what's getting into her. I licked her bottom lip and she gave me the entrance that my tounge desired.

I should stop…

I could hear and feel her moaning against my lips as she moved her arms from my chest and slid them around my neck. I could feel her fangs grazing my tongue as it danced around with hers.

I gotta stop…

I could feel her rapid heartbeat more and more as her breasts pressed hard against my chest. I felt something inside of me, it was hot and cold at the same time. I felt like I was on a drug. That's what her intoxicating lips were to me. A drug, and I loved the feeling. I slid my hands down to her ass and gave it a light squeeze.

"...Ahem...if you two wouldn't mind...we shall now begin the blood bond!" The priest declared.

"Blood bond?! What the hell is that?" I asked Izzy.

"It's when we bite each other and take blood…" She said casually.

"Can. I even do that?!" I asked.

"Just bit as hard as you can." She whispered back.

We both looked into each other's eyes and blushed. I don't know why this was getting so intense, but it had to stop ASAP! We tilted our heads and moved our mouths to each other's neck. We both bit down and I winced at the pain. I could feel the blood trickling down the side of my neck. I could taste her blood and trust me, it was not a great taste.

We pulled ourselves back and took a quick glance at each other. "The bond has been created. CONGRATULATIONS MR. AND MRS. TATSUGAMI!" This was too freaking weird. The crowds of vampires let out howls of cheering.

"Let us all rest up! Tomorrow comes time to begin the attack on Ragnarok!" The king said loudly. "With the strength of our new prince, we will put an end to this war!"

"..." Boy was this rough on me.

(CLYDE'S POV)

"We will commence the attack on Vestia tonight." The chief said to us and the crowd of werewolves. He gave me a serious look and gestured me forward. "The vampires will not stand a single chance against our secret weapon. Tell me, my fellow brothers and sisters...What do those accursed vampires fear the most?"

"Wooden stakes!" One guy shouted out.

"Garlic!" Someone else yelled.

"Silver bullets!" Yelled a brown haired man.

"GODDAMNIT KYLE! THAT'S OUR WEAKNESS!" Chief snapped at the man. He then looked back at the crowd. Their true fear is the sun! The sun is what destroys vampires for good. We have that power now! In our possession is Clyde Yukio! Clyde here possess the power of the sun. He has trained with the powerful pyromancer, Xeno himself!" The crowd erupted with cheers and applause. "With him on our side, we will triumph over those filthy bats! Clyde will now discuss our battle plan."

I stepped forward and stared at the crowd of man-eating werewolves. "We will charge in three separate groups. Two on the side, one down the center lane. I will lead the center lane troops and blast our way through the front gates." I pointed over towards Gabby. "Gabriella will lead the right troops and flank the city. The chief and Vizeron will lead the left flank and rush the city with Vizeron's sonic howls. We will all rendezvous at the city square and charge the castle together!" The werewolves cheered with determination. "WE STRIKE IN THREE HOURS! GEAR UP AND GET READY FOR BATTLE!"

Gabby stomped over to me and pulled me away. "ARE YOU INSANE?! SHIRO AND ISABEL ARE PROBABLY STILL OVER THERE!"

"And when we find them, we'll escort them out." I said nonchalantly.

"What if we don't find them. What if they get killed during the attack by one of the werewolves?!" She hissed.

"It'll be fine. I won't let Isabel get hurt." I said back to her.

"Isabel? What about Shiro?!" She asked angrily.

"What about Shiro?"

She exhaled deeply and looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Clyde... I swear to God...if this is about that petty grudge that you have because of some unjustified jealousy... I am going to put you into the floor."

"Get bent Gabriella! I'm just being reasonable! We help the werewolves, and we'll get the the supplies!" I snapped at her.

"REASONABLE?! You are literally ready to sacrifice your comrade for some stupid objective...or at least that's what you keep telling yourself!"

"...Shut up Gabby…" I said dangerously low.

"No Clyde! You need to freaking wake the hell up! You're being irrational. We should've told our mentors about the situation instead of getting involved. Now we're mixed up in a war that doesn't involve us!"

"It involves me, now shut up Gabby!" I said louder.

"How the hell does any of this bullshit concern you at all?! Why would you want to murder the vampires?"

"They took away my honor! They made me look like a fool. It's because of them that I will never have my father's praise, or my mother's love and affection. They are the reason I can never show my face at home until I make something outta myself. THEY ARE THE REASON THAT I CAN NEVER LOSE EVER AGAIN!!!" I shouted. I didn't notice that my mana was flared up and I had pushed Gabby back with the force of my essence.

"Clyde...what happened? What did they do?"

"That's not important right now! Getting my revenge on them is. I'll make them all pay for bringing me so much suffering. All those years of torment, of hatred, of pain! They will be my motivation to wipe out every last filthy vampire off of the face of the Earth!" I said as I walked away from her.

(SHIRO'S POV)

I couldn't tell how long Isabel and I were laying down on this comfy ass matress, but I didn't care anymore. The minute she walked in here with that silk, blood red nightgown, it was a rap. I couldn't contain my emotions. I kissed all along her jawline, her cheeks, her forehead and her neck. I damn near suffocated when we made out due to constantly lacking air. When my hands move on her curvaceous body, it only motivated me to explore my boundaries even more. A rush of excitement flowed through me as her small, soft hands made my skin tingle. Every gasp, every yelp, every moan, gave me a sense of pride and dominance. We got so into it that I didn't even realize that my shirt had been ripped off by the gorgeous woman below me. I felt a feeling of animosity. I wanted to go ape on this girl but there was something in the back of my mind that kept telling me to relax and take it easy. I kept trying to calm myself but I was losing my mind. The whole situation I was in had slipped my mind. I forgot that I technically just got married and this was technically my wife for the time being. I forgot about the impending war that was going to take place tomorrow. I forgot about my feelings. I was moving on complete instinct. With every bit of contact, I was put into a different trance. I wanted to turn my brain back on but my body wasn't having that shit.

"Sh... Shiro!" She gasped out when my knee unintentionally brushed in between her legs. The way she said my name drove my mind wild. I was about to say fuck it and smash right then and there but the whole vibe was killed when there was a bang on the door.

"Fucking hell, dude…" I muttered as I glared at the door. Izzy giggled and pecked my lips.

"You should probably go get that." She said with a smile.

I got off her and stomped across her room with agitation. I swung the door open and glared at the random guy at the door. "What!?" I asked impatiently.

"We are under attack!" I man said.

"Now?! GODDAMNIT!!!" I shouted. "Alright...uh... rally the troops and block of all entrances to the castle. We'll be out there in a little bit."

"Yes prince Shiro!" The man said to me. Been awhile since I heard that.

I closed the door and looked at Isabel."We're under attack…" I said to her.

"Shit! I didn't expect the werewolves to actually attack first. I had hoped that we'd be able to sneak out early tomorrow, grab the supplies and leave... guess the plan changed." She said.

"Well what do we do now?" I asked her.

"I was foolish to think I could escape my destiny... We'll have to engage and fight back." She said.

"Damn…"

(CLYDE'S POV)

I chucked another large fire ball towards the city walls. The werewolves of my troop were charging forward while I created openings. I signalled the troops into the city as soon as I blasted a hole into the city's wall. "MOVE!" I shouted.

My troops flooded through the hole. We were swarmed by a group of vampires. It was complete carnage. Blood from both sides was getting shed all over the place. Both sides were fairly even so I decided to tip the scale. I lifted my hand up and let out a bright flash of solar energy. The attacking vampires had burned away at the bright light. I dropped my hand and commanded my troops to press on.

We walked through the rapid assault of attacks, we lost a few members but ultimately remained strong. "Commander Yukio, higher level enemies are approaching!" My lieutenant said.

I nodded at him. I looked to see four large, monstrous vampires charging towards us. I walked forward and glared. "AT EASE SOLDIERS! I'LL HANDLE THIS!" I lifted my hand and created a huge orb of solar energy.

"Magnificent…" One of my soldiers said in awe.

"Ward of Flames: Great Fireball!" I chucked the orb at the first vampire, burning him to a crisp. I did the same thing to two more and then I blasted off of the ground and sent a flaming kick to the second to last one. He was sent flying back into a large tower.

"DAMN! THAT GUY IS A PROBLEM!" The last vampire shouted. He spreaded his wings and attempted to flee. I aimed my hand at him and blasted him with a high velocity, beam of fire. The beam pierced his chest and he slammed down onto the castle stairs dead or unconscious. Either way, he wasn't a threat anymore.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"GODDAMN!" I shouted with concern. If I can remember correctly, that was Izzy's older brother.

"THEO!!!" Isabel shouted as she jumped out of the window and landed next to her injured brother. I landed next to her and looked at the damage. He had a hole in his chest. Surrounding the hole was scorched skin.

"Can you heal him?" I asked her. She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"No! I'm not a healer. My other half is…"

"Aww shit! I looked at the chaos around us. Bodies littered the streets and we were getting destroyed. "Since when can werewolves use fire?"

"They can't! Which means they have help!" She growled. Was it wrong to say she was hot when she was mad. Her and Gabby...huh...Gabby...Gabby and…"CLYDE!!!" I jumped up into the air and through my hood on. I slammed down in front of the enemy troops with a strong punch to the ground, creating a shockwave. I blasted multiple werewolves back and stood up firmly against them. I pointed to the jackass leading them. "What...the FUCK...are you doing?!"

"I don't know who you are but you better get outta the way." Clyde said igniting his hands.

"It's me dipshit!" I threw off my hood and glared. "SHIRO!"

"Oh well in that case…" He blasted a ball of fire at me. I dodged it and snarled at him.

"Oh you motherfucker!"

"TAKE OUT THE HOSTILE!" Clyde shouted to his troops. They all charged forward and went for attacks. I dipped and dodged some of their slashes. I did suffer multiple cuts from their sharp claws. I kicked one away from me and slashed the neck of an ambusher. I hit two at once with a 360 hook kick. I vanished from sight. I reappeared and gutted three of them with a singular Concealed Strike. I reappeared in front of Clyde and glared at him. I also gave him the finger.

"Not bad…" He blasted forward and punched me hard with a flaming punch. I responded with a hook to his jaw. His head snapped back. He looked back and clenched his fist. His hand was engulfed in flames and he punched the shit outta me. I flew back and landed on my feet. He shot multiple fireballs at me. I parried them with my daggers and vanished. I jumped up and drop down on him with a knee. "Something's different... I don't fully understand it yet...two days ago, you weren't even close to me in strength. How are you able to keep up with me?"

"Don't underestimate me, ya' dick!" I told him while knocking him to the floor with a quick leg sweep. I planted my foot on his chest and glared at him. "What's the big idea Clyde?! Why are you leading the attack on the Vampires?"

"I hate vampires! They ruined my life so I'm gonna ruin theirs!" He blasted me back with a basic wind spell. I landed roughly on the ground and he pounced on top of me. His hands clasped tightly around my neck and he slowly applied pressure. "Now I got a question. What's going on between you and Isabel? Why is she so interested in you all of a sudden?!"

"Maybe it's the hair-"

~WHACK~

"OWW!!!" I yelled at the pain in my cheek.

"I'm serious! I will burn a hole through your skull Tatsugami!"

"You wouldn't like the answer-"

~WHACK~

"Quit playing with me you bastard!" Clyde snarled.

"I...I shouldn't be the on to tell you...She has to-"

~WHACK~

The spot that he kept hitting was starting to swell up. I knew the side of my face was probably getting bruised due to his constant punches. He also started tightening his grip on my neck. "Why not?" He hissed with rage.

"Because...it's none of my business…"

"Don't play games with me Shiro!"

"I...I promised her... that...I wouldn't...tell anyone…" I was losing oxygen fast. I could barely keep my eyes open.

"SHIRO!" He shouted angrily as his grip tightened. His hands were also getting hotter.

"...Dick…" I muttered before punching the absolute shit outta Clyde. He flew back a few feet and landed on his ass.

(ISABEL'S POV)

Clyde... He's the leader of the attack. Makes little sense to me why he would. I closed my eyes and entered the deep corners of my soul. I searched for a few moments until I finally found her.

"Hello Isabel…" I said to my other half.

"H-hi…"

"I... I have made a mess of things... Clyde...the male you are infatuated with...he is angry...and I don't think I can stop him."

"I... I don't t-think I would be much help... I'm sorry…"

"You know more about Clyde than I do. If anyone can stop him and his attack, it's you! You need to get out there and clear his mind of his madness."

"B-but how?! I can't awaken in NecroFall."

"There is one way... I just didn't want to have to do it…" I said to her.

"You don't mean...but how will…"

"It'll be fine. You'll still have all of my power, all of my memories...and all of my love…It doesn't matter though! Clyde is about to kill Shiro and the rest of Vestia...You know him so you need to set him straight!"

"O-ok...I will! Thank you for...being here...I wish you could have your own life without restrictions..."

"Don't worry about me. No matter where the hell I end up... I'll still be apart of you. Remember that. And have more confidence in yourself. You're amazing, you just gotta let everyone else know that."

"Ok!"

"Well Isabel... goodbye...and give Shiro a little kiss for me…"

"Wha...what?!"

"Uh...nevermind...just have a good life."

(VIZERON'S POV)

Dude! Seriously...fuck Shiro! I am starving my ass off right now! Oh well time to continue the...WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! There was a bright glowing beam of energy going straight up to the sky. I was so confused so I decided to check it out.


	15. Dead End

(SHIRO POV)

I had to shield my eyes from the enormous blast of light. The large beam of light had everyone stop what they were doing. I looked at Clyde and he shared the same look of confusion on his face. Our brawl had been cut short due to the sudden spike of energy.

"What the hell is happening over there?!" I asked.

"I don't know but that energy is insane...Where is Isabel?"

"Last time I saw her, she was at the castle watching her older brother die because of a flaming hole in his chest." I said with narrowed eyes.

"What?! I don't understand…"

"Wow...and you call me an idiot." I ran off towards the castle with Clyde following behind me. We stopped in front of the large beam of energy. Inside the bright beam was a majestic looking Isabel. I stepped in closer but was forced back by the beam.

"Move! I got this!" Clyde said as he pushed past me and moved towards the beam. As soon as he reached out for her the beam faded and Isabel slowly descended to the ground. Clyde caught her in his arms and stared at her. "Isabel...are you...ok?"

"Clyde...I missed you…" She said with a blush. I took note of how her seductive and chilling voice was back to her soft timid one. Her golden yellow eyes were back and her skin was no longer pale in coloration. Right then and there, as Clyde held her in his arms, I knew what it felt like to get dumped... I didn't like it…

"Isabel I'm so sorry for causing all of this. I shouldn't have let me emotions get outta hand. I was just so…just so…" He couldn't get the right words out.

"So what, Clyde?" Isabel asked with a raised brow. I noticed the faint blush and small smile on her lips and I felt like my heart had just shattered and then caught fire. Damn! What happened to the other Isabel? What happened to my...sort of wife!

"I know it's wrong but I...I was jealous of Shiro. Strange right? I wanted to go with you instead."

"Gee thanks for that one Clyde…You were just a joy to be around..." Gabby said with Viz on her shoulder. I didn't notice her walk over to us.

"Look I'm sorry, I just...I can't stand the thought of Isabel in any danger. I care too much about her to leave her with Shiro's irresponsible ass."

"Wow, fuck you Clyde…" You know what sucks the most...the fact that I probably could have straight up said that I almost fucked Izzy's other side...but for the Isabel's sake... I won't…

"Clyde, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me...and Clyde, I need to get something off of my chest…Something I've been meaning to tell you." Isabel stated.

"What is it Isabel?" He asked.

"Clyde... I'm really the princess of the vampires. That day you found me... I lied and told you that I was an orphan...Truth is, I was just running away from my own destiny... I was afraid to tell you when you first said how much you hate vampires... I'm sorry for keeping that from you...and another thing...I used to have two different personalities. You're used to the one you see know but at night, I became my true vampiric self." She looked at me and sighed. "I'm so sorry Shiro…The other one...The other me..." I gave her a sad look. Just when I was starting to really like her...to think it only took a forced wedding and the most amazing kiss I had ever had.

"Tch... it's whatever…" I said waving her off. I guess that meant she was gone for good. Maybe it's just better that way…This Isabel seems to really like Clyde...Fuck Clyde! Man this was so ass! The one time a girl does like me, she has to vanish on some BULLSHIT!!!

"Well, none of that matters to me! As long as you're still you, I wouldn't mind if you were the Devil himself." Clyde said grinning at her.

"Ahem! What is the plan here?!" I asked angrily. I was pissed off now. This literally just put me in a bad mood. "Are we still going for supplies?"

"I say we leave and let them handle their own problems!" Gabby said.

"I don't think that it would be right of us to just leave...We need to bring both groups together and stop the constant fighting." Isabel said.

"How so?" I asked.

"Clyde, you need to go and stop the werewolves while I call of my family. I think I can stop them from fighting."

"Alright, I'm on it!" Clyde nodded and just as he got ready to head off, a large gust of wind blew us all back.

"What the hell is going on here?! Is this what you fools do when my father leaves? I ought to wipe you all out immediately!" Said a shrill, girly voice. I looked up and saw a small, little girl with blonde hair wearing a large, puffy pink dress. Her dark blue eyes were sinister and surprisingly intimidating. I noticed that all of the werewolves and vampires were kneeling. Eventually, Clyde Gabby and Izzy followed their lead and decided to kneel as well. Me being...me... I decided to go and confront the little girl.

"Hey! Who the heck are you?"

"Who am I? What do you mean who am I?! I am the ruler of NecroFall until my daddy returns! Who the hell are you?!" She asked while scowling at me.

"Me? I am the one and only Shiro Tatsugami! Soon to be, strongest living creature EVER!" I said while posing.

"Ha! Don't make me laugh! I would crush you with a finger, weakling!" She said, sticking out her tongue.

"Pssh, yeah right...Your small ass hand probably can't even pick up a goddamn can of tuna!" I laughed at her. She puffed up her cheeks and raised her hand to the sky. "... What are you-"

~SMASH!~

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! OWW! DAMN!!!" I shouted as a giant skeletal hand slammed down on top of me.

"Is my hand still too small?" She asked giggling evilly.

"Fuck you-"

~BAM!~

"AWW!!! BITCH!!!" I yelled as the hand turned into a fist and slammed down on me.

The levitating hand picked me up and carried me over to the little girl. "You amuse me with you foolish antics, mortal. Too bad though...I think I might kill you and make you my undead slave."

"I'd rather you not…"

"Please don't kill him!" Isabel shouted. "He doesn't know what he's doing!"

"Yeah I do…" I muttered.

"No excuses! Time to die!" She aimed her hand at me and an ominous red glow surrounded it. "Any last words before you are destroyed and brought back as my eternal servant?"

"...Well I might as well die with my honor in tact." I grabbed the small chalice from my small side pocket. "Can you at least give this to Zeyconius... I kinda promised Haruka that I would…"

She snatched the stupid cup out of my hand and stared at it. "The Chalice of Hell?! Why do you have it?"

"I promised Haruka Blade I'd deliver it ya brat!"

"You met Uncle Blade?! How?! He's never around! Explain yourself mortal!"

"He did me a solid after kidnapping my Isabel…" I saw Clyde glare at me. "A little bit of his power is inside of me right now."

"Woah, really!" She made the hand drop me. "With this Chalice, I can save my daddy!"

"Great for you...so am I free to leave…"

"Uh... no!" She snapped her fingers and six skeletal soldiers popped up from the ground and grabbed me. "Take him and his friends to the Tower of Decay. Lock them in there until I figure out what to do with them." She turned to the werewolves and vampires. "As for all of you, I don't wanna see another war going on. If I catch you all fighting again, I'll personally end it myself." She then began levitating and started floating towards her large castle while we got dragged to the Tower of Decay.

-IN THE TOWER OF DECAY-

Not only where we all locked up together in a cramped up cell, but we were all hungry, thirsty and bored. Viz was blowing into some stupid harmonica... don't ask how he got it, Clyde was disgusting me with his excessive display of affection towards MY wife...Well technically my half ex-wife... It's confusing, I know! Gabby was punching away at the wall with little to no success at all. I was banging my head against the jail bars with annoyance. I turned around and glared at everyone. I snatched Viz's harmonica and bent it outta shape.

"HEY! I was about to go ham on that last verse!"

"Sorry but you were driving me nuts!"

"Beta male…"

"This sucks!" I shouted.

"This is partially your goddamn fault!" Clyde yelled.

"CLYDE, FUCK OFF!!! I shouted at him. "Are we really just gonna sit here and do absolutely nothing!"

"I tried smashing away at the stupid wall but it won't budge." Gabby said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Shiro please just calm down…" Isabel said tiredly.

"Calm down?! No I'm not going to calm down! I hate jail cells. I've spent at least one fourth of my life in a jail cell and trust me...IT SUCKS!"

"You're not making it better with your nonstop complaining!" Clyde yelled.

I flipped him off and slammed my fist against the wall. "Shit, shit, SHIT!"

Gabby walked up to me and slapped me silly. "Get your shit together! We've been here for thirteen minutes. You'll live!"

"Hello mortals!" The little brat said with her evil chuckle. I ran up to the bars and gave her a panicked look.

"Let me out! LET ME OUT! PLEASE!!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

"Hasn't it only been thirteen minutes?" She asked. I glared at her.

"LET ME OUT!!!"

"Relax. I came to let you out anyway…"

"Wait, what? You're just gonna let us go?" Clyde asked.

"No Dumbledore, I'm letting out the dumb one."

"How come Clyde gets to leave?!" I asked frantically.

"...Wow...just...wow…" Clyde said with narrowed eyes.

The guards opened the cell and grabbed me harshly, yanking me out of the cell. "I'M FREE! IN YOUR FACE CLYDE!" I shouted. All of them glared at me. "... Sorry ladies…you too Viz…"

Viz walked over to the bars and gave the little girl a sad look. "Sorry mutt but I have no trouble killing sad animals."

"I'll let you hold me…" Viz bribed.

"..." She seemed to be contemplating the idea.

"I'm really soft and fluffy! And I smell good according to Gabby." He said happily.

"Ok, I said tolerable…" Gabby corrected.

"See! I do smell good!"

"...Fine! Bring the mutt…"

"Yes!" Viz got scooped up by one of the guards.

The other guards closed the cell door and they proceeded to transport us through the largest city in NecroFall, ShadowScale. The whole city was crawling with ghouls, zombies and skeletons. It was a cesspool of undead monsters. Not gonna lie, I had the chills. After an hour long walk, we ended up at the large castle.

"Geez this place is big." I said in awe.

"My father built it using the strongest form of necromancy." Said the little girl. The guards dropped me and Viz in front of the little girl.

"I've been meaning to ask, what exactly is your name?"

"Evelyn is what my name is but you can call me Eve." She said.

"How old are you?" Viz asked.

"I'm five…" She said. I was surprised that she was so young.

"Woah…only five? That's incredible!" Viz said with shock and amazement.

"Yep! Now to get down to business. I brought you here to in order to show you the ways of necromancy." She said while pointing at me.

"Why would you wanna do that?" I asked with confusion.

"Simple. Out of every one of you and your friends, you stood out the most. That and in order for a necromancer to gain their full potential, they must take on an apprentice and have someone gain some of their abilities. Only then will I unlock the Mastery stage, which is pretty much just me being overpowered as hell." She explained casually.

"Hold on… So you want to train me just so you can get all strong and stuff?"

"Yeah pretty much…"

"...What's in it for me?" I asked crossing my arms.

"Being able to use necromancy, duh! You really are stupid."

"What exactly is so special about being a freaking necromancer?"

"Are you kidding me?! Necromancers are the best! Having the ability to summon minions from the dead to do your bidding, turning people against themselves, stealing the live force of others in order to heal yourself, all while you barely have to lift a finger!"

"Okay sounds promising. I'm in!" I said to her.

"A wise choice, mortal. You'll be the first person that has the honored of training with me. I just so happen to be the second strongest necromancer in the world!" She said gleefully.

"So is your dad like the strongest necromancer?" I asked plainly.

"You know it! He's like the strongest! Then again my whole family is really strong!"

"Yeah I figured since you were related to Haruka and everything…So when do we start training?"

"We'll start in an hour or so… I have to go set some things up. My right hand man, Yousef will show you guys to your room." As she said this a large eight foot man stepped forward. He was made of skulls and had an ominous aura surrounding him. "Yousef is my father's Undead Champion. He's also kinda like my nanny." She looked at the monstrous creature and snapped her fingers. "Can you take them to the guest room so they can get ready for later." She asked him.

"Yes my liege." The tall undead warrior walked forward leading the way.

"... Shiro…" Viz whispered.

"Yo... what is it?" I whispered back.

"That guy scares me…"

"Yeah I know. Something about him just ain't right…"

We got to a large room that had a king size bed, a large bookshelf, a desk, and drawer. "These will be your quarters for the time being. You'd best do well to show your gratitude to Madam Evelyn!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah I will. Just chill out dude." I said to him. He scoffed at me and stormed off.

"...Wow, what a dick…" Viz muttered.

"Yeah dude kind of sucks but, it's whatever. As long as I'm getting stronger!"

"When are we going to go back to training ME?!"

"I don't know… What are you trying to work on?" I asked him.

"Hmm…I want to learn a new move!" He said eagerly.

"Uh... I don't know how to do that…"

"...Dude...you have my contract! Read my abilities or something!" He shouted.

"Oh yeah! Good idea." I reached into my pocket and grabbed the crumpled up piece of paper.

"Wow. Nice to see that you care about my literal will…"

"Shut up!" I began to skim through the contract and read some of the things that were on it. "Vizeron Olu' Wasiville…" I chuckled at his retarded name.

"Just read the damn thing!" He barked.

"Primary ability… Transformation? What's up with that?" I asked him.

"Oh that? For about five minutes I can turn into whatever I can think of at the time."

"Anything?!"

"No. I got limits to it but you know…" He said sheepishly.

"Right…" I continued reading his abilities. "Bonding Bark... Explain mutt…"

"I can bark at something and make it paralyzed for a couple of seconds." He elaborated.

"Nice, nice…" I read on. "Wolf's Wind?"

"Yeah. I am primarily a wind style BattleBeast. I'll be able to manipulate wind! I still need practice though…"

"The rest of these say unknown." I told him.

"I gotta level up fool."

"Well, what do you wanna work on? Wolf's Wind sounds cool enough. That transform thing is pretty dope too."

"Hmm… I say we start off easy." He said grinning.

"So, Bonding Bark then?" I asked.

"Yep! Let's get to it!" He said with determination.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"So like...how does this work?"

"I...you gotta...I honestly don't know…"

"We'll figure this out later. Why don't we hit the sack. Something tells me that training with the second best Necromancer is not going to be fun…" I said.

"Yeah, fine… Just don't forget to train me, beta male!"

"I won't ya pint sized mutt!" I said flipping on the bed. Viz jumped up and landed on my chest, knocking the wind outta me. I glared at him and he grinned.

"Sorry about that, dude." He dropped down and fell asleep on my chest. I begrudgingly scratched behind his ears. I can't lie...he really was soft and fluffy...


	16. Dead Undead

(SHIRO'S POV)

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M DOING IT WRONG?!" I shouted at the little girl.

"That's not how you bring back the dead!" She shouted back.

I was trying to learn how to resurrect my first minion. The only problem was that my "minion" was a complete retard and was absolutely useless. All I managed to do we make a stupid skull spout out nothing but nonsense. Still counts as bringing back the dead though!

"I did was you told me! Charged my mana and focusing it into a dead body while using some of my life force."

"You only brought the head to life…"

"Yeah, so…"

"Look at it!" She snapped while pointing to the skull. It was still mumbling nonstop. "That is just terrible!"

"It's my first real attempt! Cut me some slack." I shouted at her.

"Well you need to get this down in order to move on so HURRY UP!"

I went back to trying to revive this stupid set of bones only to fail over and over again. It was really starting to piss me off.

For about three more hours of work... I was getting nowhere! I ended up on my knees struggling to catch my breath. Turns out that when you overuse your life force, you run the risk of death...Who knew…

Evelyn told me that I should take a break and go get ready for dinner. I didn't even know I was allowed to eat. Viz took this as good news and practically forced me to groom his fur.

"Why the hell am I even doing this?" I asked him.

"Because I have to look presentable during dinner."

"Why?"

"Food to me, is a sign of joy. Anyone that feeds me gets my respect."

"Where's MY respect?!" I asked, glaring.

"Don't think that I forgot! You didn't feed me today!" Viz barked.

"...Oops…" I said sarcastically.

"Screw you dude!" Viz exclaimed.

I decided to explore the large castle with little hesitation. Viz tagged along, fearing the idea of being left alone. "You think they got some cool loot?"

"That's what you're worried about? Shouldn't we be trying to get to others out of the tower?"

"I'm sure they're fine…" I told him.

(GABBY'S POV)

This was hopeless! I can't believe that Shiro left us in here. I swear to everything that when I get out of this cell, I'm gonna strangle his stupid unloyal ass!

This whole situation was getting on my last nerve. I was sick of Clyde and Isabel being all lovey dovey in the corner and I was sick of eat this stale ass bread. It was all driving me nuts! I had to get outta here.

I looked at at Clyde and Isabel with a glare. I stomped over to the two and gripped Clyde up by his collar. "Listen...to me! I'm sick of the mushy shit! Either you two help me bust us outta here, or I'll make you both switch genders!"

"...How would you even...Oh...Oh good!" Clyde said while holding his nuts.

I dropped him to the floor and and gave him a stoic look. "Now listen up because I have a plan."

(SHIRO'S POV...again…)

After another few hours of attempting necromancy, I had finally created ONE successful skeleton that could fight for me.

"FINALLY! Thank God. I thought you'd never get it! Sheesh you're slow!" The little brat said to me.

"That's great and all, but how do I do the cool stuff like draining the lives of my enemies, and making people dead with a snap of my fingers?!" I asked impatiently.

"Oh, you don't get to do that stuff." Evelyn said bluntly.

"What?! How come?!" I asked sadly. I was super disappointed now.

"In order to do that stuff, you have to teach someone else the basic forms of necromancy. Aka what I'm doing with you right now as we speak." She answered.

"Wow, that is extremely underwhelming. No joke, that legitimately sucks."

"Well, I don't know what to tell you. Now, do you want the stupid powers or not?" She asked angrily.

"Well I mean... What's the point of learning all of this crap if I can't even do the cool stuff? This whole necromancy things is such a rip-off!" I said with a huff.

"So you don't wanna learn, huh? I could always just kill you now since you'll literally be a complete waste of my time." Evelyn said with terrifying red eyes that held a dark scowl.

"...So what's the next lesson?" I asked. Don't you dare judge me! If you were in my position, you'd bitch out too!

"Glad that you understand reason. Now for your next step in mastering your necromancy, you must channel your negative energy and place some of your own mana essence into your minion. This will buff it up and make it fit your personal battle style."

"How the hell do I do that?" I asked while scratching my head with confusion.

"It's really simple. Just close your eyes and center all of your mana to your body's core. After that, put your energy out in front of you just as you would with any other form of magic." She said this as if it was the simplest thing to do in the world.

This would suck for me given my lack of use with mana but I decided to give it a try anyway. I closed my eyes and clapped my hands together in front of me. I looked for any sort of energy inside of me. When I got a lock on to the energy source, I aligned it with my body's center and brought it out as I separated my hands. The energy was huge and unstable. It began to swirl around viciously in my hands.

"What the?" I heard Evelyn mutter in the background.

"Uh...what do I do with this?!" I asked with panic.

"Throw it at your minion!" She shouted.

"Ok!" I shouted, tossing the purple orb at the plain old skeleton. As soon as the ene hit it, the skeleton was engulfed in a swirling vortex of purple energy. When the vortex disappeared my once naked and frail skeleton was now a fucking beast. No joke! My dude was decked out in some bulky ass armor with dark purple flames surrounding his spiked gloves, his horned knee plates and his massive, helmet that had two large curved horns that stuck out of the sides. If it wasn't already bad ass enough, it had two black, purple flaming broadswords.

"Goddamn! Dude you are so much better than you were five minutes ago!" I said happily.

Evelyn cleared her throat and stared at my creation. "This is excellent... except for one small thing...YOU DIDN'T USE DARK ENERGY!"

"What are you talking about?! I used the only energy that I had!" I said back at the little girl.

"That wasn't dark energy. I don't know what the heck you used, but it wasn't dark!" She shouted.

"What difference does it make?!" I asked angrily.

"It makes all the difference! Your stupid minion isn't supposed to look like that! How is it so heavily armed?"

"What can I say, I'm a badass!" I replied with a smirk. The little girl rolled her eyes at me.

"None of this makes sense. You shouldn't be able to make something like that with the level of mana that you have!"

"... Maybe it wasn't mana…" I said while looking at my glowing hands.

"What are you talking about?!" Evelyn asked with a raised brow.

"I'm not entirely sure but, I believe that it has something to do with the soul energy that I have inside of me. It's weird but it's the only thing I can think of." I said to her.

"How did you get the ability to wield soul energy?"

"I don't wanna talk about it…" I muttered.

"... Anyways...You have pretty much gotten past the basics at this point. Now that you're officially a novice, the Necronian seal has been created."

"What the hell is that?" I asked.

"Simply put, it's the bond between a master necromancer such as myself, and their new average student...aka you. Now that necromancy runs in you mind and is a viable skill set for you to rely on, you have become a member of the Necrotic Circle. Now, the stronger your necromancy becomes, the stronger mine will as well, along with any other necromancer above me, which just so happens to only be my father. You are now the third necromancer in the world as of today! Be proud of that fact." Evelyn explained.

"So if what you're saying is true, than whoever I make a necromancer, will make my necromancy stronger?" I asked.

"Yours along with those that outrank you." She said.

"So does that mean I'll never be as good a necromancer as you or your dad?" I asked.

Affirmative, half wit!" She said with a smirk.

"Damn!" I shouted while snapping my fingers.

"You shouldn't concern yourself with being better than me. Be better then yourself move than anything." She said while patting my back.

"I will!" I said.

"Good! Now come on!"

"Where are we going and what about my minion?!" I asked.

"Number one, I'm bored and disire amusement. I told you that you amuse me so that is now your new job. Number two, you can keep it out in order to serve you, or you can send it away by dropping your energy I guess. That what I do."

I decided to just keep it out. It wasn't hurting anyone at the moment. Evelyn had walked my to a big play area in order for me to amuse her. This pretty much meant playing dolls and stuff with her. She had one guy doll that had a creepy ass face... Scratch that. Ever doll was freaking creepy. After we play dolls for like thirty fucking minutes, she had me sit at a small pink table the have a stupid tea party. Why did I go along with this...Oh yeah, because it all strangely reminds me of my times with my little sister Maddie. I miss her and something about how Evelyn looked and acted really hit me in a rough spot. Playing these girly ass games reminded me of my past before I screwed everything up.

"Shiro, could you pass the sugar?" Evelyn asked me with a weird accent. He words slipped past me as I felt a drop fall onto my lap. Tear...As if I couldn't get any more bitch made…

"..." I couldn't say anything. I was so torn lost within my own thoughts.

"Are you crying?! If you didn't want to join me you could've said no." Evelyn hissed.

I shook my head and looked at the little girl. "Forgive me. I'm just spacing out."

"What's with the emotional break down?"

"... It's weird…" I replied, wiping my tears.

"Say it!" She demanded.

"All of this tea party stuff... I reminds me of my old life."

"You used to have to teach parties? That's kinda creepy dude."

"No! It was my little sister. She would always ask me to play stuff like this with her." I said.

"...Oh." She said simply.

"Yeah I know, I'm being a com pussy right now...But I-"

~SMACK~

"... Don't ever feel like you're a bitch because you lost someone close to you. I lost my big brother a long time ago…" She said sadly.

"What happened to him? If you don't mind me asking…" I said.

"Same thing that happens to everyone that lives in NecroFall and tries to leave... You're hunted down by those stupid Paladins!" She growled. "My brother didn't even do anything wrong, but they killed him because he used dark magic."

"Paladins? What's up with them?"

"They are "righteous" beings that wield the power of the light. They kill anyone that uses dark magic." She said.

"Isn't dark magic evil though-"

~SMACK~

"No you dunce! Just because you're a user of dark magic, doesn't always mean that you're evil. That's nothing but a common misconception." She said.

"Ok, ok, ok! Damn! So if you were to leave…"

"I would be hunted down and murdered." She said grimly.

"I see…"

"Bottom line is, You shouldn't feel ashamed for having emotions. That's what separates good people from the inhumane." She said.

"Right…"

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Why am I the decoy?! I'd be much more effective as an attacker." I grumbled.

"Just roll with it!" Gabby shouted at me.

"Seriously though, I literally would be better to the plan if I-"

"Plan? What plan?!" A gaurd holding a tray of stale biscuits asked.

"...Plan?! What plan?!" Gabby asked with fake stupidity.

"Yeah right. Nice try inmates! You ain't getting out unless the queen commands it!" The gaurd said as he started walking away.

Gabby and Isabel both gave me an irritated look. "Good job Clyde!" Gabby said.

"I'm sorry…"

(SHIRO'S POV…)

"Madam Evelyn, your father has once again returned to the palace." Said her large and creepy undead champion. I didn't fail to notice his intimidating scowl.

"Daddy's home already? Oh joy! I shall see him at once." Evelyn said happily. Yousef nodded and went about his business. Evelyn tugged at my leather sleeves. "You and your soft dog shall come and meet my father."

"Uh yeah. Fine by me." I said.

We walked the deep halls of the castle until we reached two large doors. Once we opened the doors, a large throne room came into view. The place was decorated with multiple skulls and bones. I kind of gave me the chills. I stayed strong as we walked up to a man with blood red hair. The man's back was turned to us, showing off his dark trenchcoat. At first glance he seemed to be reading a book of some sort.

Without wasting any time, Evelyn ran up to her father and gave him a wide hug. "Oh daddy, I'm so happy you're back so soon!" She said with glee.

The man turns his body around and embrace his daughter with a hug of his own. "Why hello again sweet pea. I'm sorry I'm always gone. Please forgive me for my constant absence." He said with a deep voice.

"Are you staying for good this time?" The little girl asked.

"I don't know yet…" He said. The man looked up from his embrace and seems to take notice of my presence. "And who might you be?" He said with a more hostile tone.

"Me? I'm Shiro Tatsugami." I said shakily.

The man narrowed his eyes and seemed as if he was going to press on, but Evelyn proceeded to stop him in his place. "Daddy, this is my student, and he's also my friend now."

"Friend? What do you mean? Is he even from here?!" The man asked.

"No daddy. He's from the outside world. He met with Haruka and brought the chalice of hell."

"Really?!" The man asked with surprise.

"I HELPED!!!" Viz shouted.

"Vizeron? What are you doing here?!" Zeyconius asked.

"Aww c'mon Zey, you don't seem too glad to see me." Viz said with a grin. "Long story short, Haruka sent me away with this scrub. He said it would make me stronger…"

"Well if he says so then I'll believe it." Zeyconius stated. The man then looked back at me. His eyes were much softer than before. "Well Mr. Tatsugami, you're ok in my book. You have my blessings for bringing me the Chalice of Hell."

"Cool...So can my friends and Clyde get released from their cell?"

"What do you... Evelyn, how many times do I have to say it? The Tower of Decay is for actual prisoners." Zeyconius scolded.

-AT THE TOWER-

I ran up to the cell bars and stared at my friends...and Clyde...The all seemed distant and relatively on edge. I opened the cell door and went to all of them.

"Uh, hey guys…" I said to them.

"How long…" Gabby said lowly. I noticed that she wasn't wearing her armor any more. She was sitting on the floor in a sports bra that didn't really help to conceal much... Not that I was complaining.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

She got up and pinned me against the wall. "HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN IN HERE?!" She asked in my face.

"Shit, I don't know...Like eight hours…" I said. She let go of my shirt and glared at me.

"Next time you leave me like that again, I'm gonna make sure that you never breath. NEVER!" She snapped.

"I'm sorry ma'am…" I said quietly.

"You're damn right, you're sorry!" She spat at me.

We all headed back inside the castle to talk with Zeyconius one last time. "So you all came here for what exactly?" The necromancer asked.

"We originally came to help, set up the potion shop on the outskirts of the city, but the witch needs some supplies from the Werewolf Clan and the Vampiric Kingdom. It was a mess." Clyde said.

"Oh...I see now. Well, in that case, I'll have both cities send a shipment of the necessary supplies to the shop tomorrow." Zeyconius said.

"Thank you sir. You've made this so much easier on us." Isabel said.

"Haven't I seen you from somewhere before?" Zey asked.

"I'm the princess of all the vampires." She said.

"Ah yes. Miss Isabel Yang. Pleasure to see you again." Zey said with a genuine smile.

"Likewise sir." Izzy said with a bow.

"So are we all good to go?" I asked.

"Not yet. Young Shiro, I have something for you." Zey said to me.

"What is it?"

Before I knew what was happening, a viscous palm strike hit my chest. "Ow! What the hell dude?!" I said, slightly pissed.

"Oh relax. It'll make sense to you later in life. Trust me, you'll be glad that you you let me do that to you." The man said. "You may all depart now."

Evelyn ran up and tugged at my sleeve again. "You better train that necromancy! I wanna be as strong as possible!" She said.

"You got it!" I replied with a wink.

"...Are you ever gonna visit me again? Not that I care! I was just curious…" She said with embarrassment.

"Aww, you're so adorable when you're trying to be stoic. Of course I will visit! I promise."

"Really?! Thanks Shiro!" She hugged my leg. "I wish you could've met my brother. He would've thought you were cool." She said.

"I bet that Maddie would've loved to hang with with you too." I said, hugging her back. Viz somehow ended up squeezing in between us.

"I love hug…" He muttered.

"Dammit Viz!" I shouted.

"What? What did I do?!" He asked frantically.

"It's time to go, dude…" I grumbled as I dragged the mutt out of the castle while waving at Evelyn.

Yeah...She was a nice kid. A bit of a brat... But still nice.


	17. Embers and Shards

-IN THE POTION SHOP-

(XENA'S POV)

I wasn't sure when the last time I saw Xeto actually was. While I did miss my big brother, I was also quite scared of what he had made of himself. Xeno and I would tend to keep tabs on each other, but Xeto was always out of touch. Then again, that was nothing new. Xeto usually kept to himself anyway. That was just how he was.

I walked over to the rest of my allies and took a seat at the large table. Amora, my long time friend, looked at me and sighed.

"It is the date of Xeto's birth, isn't it?" The white haired woman asked.

"That is correct…" I muttered.

"When's the last time you saw him?" She asked.

"Years ago. Back when I was just a little girl."

"Do you... Want to talk about it?" Amora asked.

"I don't know... Talking about him won't really bring back the bond that I had with him."

"Maybe not, but it might just make you feel better. It is a fact that reminiscing on past times can help overcome the difficulties of one's present." Amora said.

"Do I hear story time?! I'll go get some snacks." Eliza said happily.

"I'll go get some candles." Tazorac said.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. Well I wasn't really expecting to do this, but I guess it can't be helped. These were the people I considered my friends. I see no harm in telling them of my past.

After they all got themselves situated, I gave them all a hard look. "This is the tale of my two brothers. The story of the world's most powerful Pyromancer and the world's most powerful Cryomancer. Before I continue my story, I shall use a mind spell so that you may all visualize the events for yourselves."

"Cool!" Eliza said.

I nodded and channelled my mana. "Spell of Mentality: Intellectual Passing!" A golden beam of mana blasted from Xena's forehead and made contact with the the rest of the group. "Now you too will see what I see. Now let us begin with the days of birth for my brother's."

-Nine Hundred Years Ago-

(NO POV)

The Arcane Forest...The birthplace of all known magic. Within the forest, was the Grand Spellcaster, Dex. Dex was the father of all magic. He was regarded with that title because he was the first living creature to set foot within the mystical forest. Due to his presence in the forest, Dex was able to learn of its vast secrets and was able to experience all styles of magic. In return, he had to watch over the forest and protect it from any wandering souls. In other words, he wasn't able to ever leave the forest. The man was inclined to follow the orders of the forest but in return, he wanted the ability to do one form of magic the was forbidden. Dex wanted the ability to use Creation magic. Dex want nothing more than to have a someone to share his love of the forest with him. Believing in the good nature of the man, the forest granted him the ability to create life. With this ability, Dex created a pale woman with silver hair. Her eyes were unique given the fact that her left eye was bright icy blue color. Her right eye was a fiery orange. She held soft features and had a heartwarming smile. Dex gasped at his beautiful creation. For the next couple hundred years the two beings would spend their lives watching the forest together.

-873 Years Later-

As time went on for Dex and his wife, the two continued their role in protecting the forest. Things were going good for the two and they eventually decided that they wanted a family. With the persuasion of his wife, Dex created his first born child. The right side of his hair was a deep dark black color. His left side was a bright white. His eyes held a light blue color. This was their first child. They name him Xeto. As time went by, Xeto was revealed to have good control over ice type magic, even at such a young age.

After a few years of living together in peace and harmony, the two decided to have another child. This one had his white hair on his right side and black hair on his left. His eyes were a bright orange color. The boy's name was Xeno and he grew adept to fire magic. It came naturally to him as did most things such as his temper.

Xeno and his older brother eventually grew to have a bit of a one sided sibling rivalry. With Dex constantly applauding Xeto for his quick growth in strength and talent. This drove Xeno mad and caused him to gain resentment towards Xeto.

Eventually, Dex's wife was charmed with the idea of having a little girl to raise so she suggested that Dex create a third child. A little girl named Xena. The little girl wasn't adept to any particular form of magic. She was regarded as the Jack of all Trades in terms of magic. It made made her unique in her own way.

Now together as a full, happy family, the five of them all lived well within the arcane forest. At least until ten years passed. Xeto being eighteen at this point and still regarded as the best in the eyes of Dex, he had often got into fights with his sixteen year old brother. The two would go off on each other to the point where they were literally destroying the forest.

It was on the last day that the family was together. Dex, his wife and Xena were all sitting down together, enjoying the mystical fruit of the forest when they all heard a loud boom in the distance. Dex being alarmed got up instantly and walked towards the sound along with his wife and daughter.

-With Xeno and Xeto-

"I'M STRONGER THAN YOU!" Xeno shouted, launching a flaming orb towards his brother.

Xeto narrowed his eyes and stomped his foot on the ground. A large wall of ice formed in front of him. He was easily shielded from the attack. Xeto dropped the icy wall and glared. "When are you gonna get it? No matter how hot you make that fire of yours, it still won't be enough to melt my ice." Xeto said.

"We'll see about that!" Xeno snarled. "Ward of Flames: Blaze Burn!" Xeno shouted while lifting up his hands. Large pillars of fire spewed from the ground

Xeto pushed himself upwards with a large pillar of ice. He held out his pale hand and glared. "Ward of Frost: Blistering Blizzard!" Sharp icicles rained down towards Xeno.

"That won't WORK!" Xeno flared up his mana, surrounding himself with a flaming orb of fire. The small icicles melted as they made contact with the fire. Xeno dispersed the flaming orb creating a scorching hot, heat wave that engulfed the forest.

"...Your mana flame is burning way to brightly. You need to settle down before you end yourself." Xeto said.

Xeno only growled and continued to flare up his mana. He blasted off in the air, flying at his older brother. A ball of fire formed in his hand. Xeno chucked the orb towards his brother. Xeto dodged hit but couldn't react to the flaming hot fist that connected with his jaw. The impact of the punch, caused the pillar of ice to collapse. Xeno smirked at his attack.

"I got you!" Xeno said.

"..." Xeto looked at him, as his face began to crack.

"What...What the hell?!" Xeno muttered with confusion.

"Not this time…" Xeto said as he shattered into pieces.

"But I thought…"

"You thought wrong!" Xeto said while sliding towards him. Ice was covering the ground beneath him. "It's over when I say it's over…" Xeto began to glow.

"No! I refuse to lose to you again!" Xeno cupped his hands and charged a last ditch attack. "I've been saving this just for you!"

"Go on brother! Use your pathetic attack! Show me just how much you hate losing to me!" Xeto said while glowing even brighter. The area behind him began to freeze over. "Ward of Frost: ABSOLUTE ZERO!" Xeto yelled as he launched a bright blue beam of cold energy at his brother.

"Ward of Flames: BLAZING INFERNO!" Xeno shouted as he flung the blast of fire forward.

As the two blasts flew towards each other, the forest began to get more and more destroyed. Before the two attacks collided, a large shockwave forced both blasts to fade away. Both boys stared in shock of their father, standing in between them with an angry expression.

"Father?!" Both boys shouted with exasperation.

"What...Are... You...DOING?!" Dex shouted. "You two have just wiped out two thirds of the forest!"

"..." The boys were silent given their father's harsh tone.

"Your job is to protect this forest! Not to harm it with your meaningless squabbling! I am fed up with the constant, nonsensical antics between you two!"

"Father, please-"

"NO! YOU TWO ARE DONE!" Dex shouted angrily. "You are both hereby banished from the Arcane Forest! You are not to set foot within this sacred place!"

"Dex, please. This really isn't necessary." Their mother spoke.

"No! I have given them multiple warnings! I want you two out of here! NOW!" Dex shouted.

"Fine! Forget this place, anyway! I'll be back! I'll show you all that I'm tough! Maybe then, you'll accept me and quit treating me like I don't even exist, father!" Xeno said stomping off.

Xeto bowed his head to his mother and father. "I do apologise for my foolishness father." Xeto then walked off.

As time went by, things between the remaining family members were now distant. Dex would tend to the forest while Xena was being raised only by her mother.

-Five Years Later-

"Listen to me Xena... I want you to leave with me. Your father... He's not the same as he used to be. All he's worried about is this stupid forest. It would be wise to leave this place and go off to explore the outside world."

Xena listened to her mother's words carefully and decided to leave the Arc Forest, abandoning her brooding father.

Fifteen year old Xena and her mother had settled down in a place called Krystonia. The place was a small modest kingdom that was filled with people from all over. This was the place where Xena met her closest friend, Amora."

-Present-

(XENA'S POV)

"I would eventually leave my mother in order to train under my stepfather, Jushiro. He was a wise mage and taught me many things." I said to my wide eyed friends.

"...Damn…" Eliza said.

"So your brothers were banished from their home? That's pretty deep." Tazorac said.

"It's nothing to really worry too much about. I do hope that Xeto is ok. He is a very reclusive person. He tends to seclude himself from the others." I said.

Just then, the front door of the shop flung open. Our apprentices came inside, one of which was bruised across their face.

"What happened to Shiro?" Eliza asked.

"I ACCIDENTALLY smack Gabby's ass on the way back…" Shiro said.

Tazorac glared and punched the boy.to the ground. "How many times do I have to warn you Tatsugami? How many times?!"

"I dunno... probably seven hundred more. That's just an estimate."

"Why do we estimate my foot going up your ass you freaking pervert!" Gabby snapped.

"I'd rather you not…" Shiro looked towards the adults. "What were you all doing? Don't tell me I missed the story!"

"Yep!" Eliza said with a grin.

"Damn!"

"Well what's up with my supplies?!" Selena asked the teens.

"It's in it's way!" Gabby replied back harshly. "It would've helped if you guys actually came!"

"... Sorry about that guys. We thought that you guys could handle it." Eliza said.

"Well...We did handle it!" Shiro shouted with Vizeron barking in agreement.

"Well then you all have my gratitude." Selena said with a smile.

"I'd still rather get paid…"

"Well Selena we're glad we could help." Eliza said.

"But we did all the work…" Shiro grumbled, earning a swift chop to the back of his neck, dropping him instantly. Tazorac sighed and picked the knocked out boy up and tossed him over his shoulder.

"We'll see you soon. Good luck with the shop." I said to her. She nodded and smiled.

"Do stop by anytime." The with said.

-Back on the Boat-

"You didn't have to put me to sleep Tazorac!" Shiro yelled.

"Sure I did. Your voice was irritating." The warrior said.

Shiro walked past me and Amora, grumbling multiple different swears. Amora and I giggled at him and then went back to our conversation.

"Listen Xena, You know that we just might need Xeto on board for the end assault on the Under Realm." Amora said to me with a serious tone. "We already have Xeno pretty much on our side, but we still need a lot more allies."

"I know. I just... I'm not sure how we are gonna find him. He could be anywhere."

"I say we check Frost Park. It's our best bet and if he's a Cryomancer, than he would probably be there." Amora said.

"That is a good point. The only problem is that it's on a mountain in the northern hemisphere of the planet. Getting there will be very challenging, especially now." I remarked.

"We don't have to worry about it now, just give that thought some consideration." Amora then walked off the go meditate with Isabel. I looked back at my comrades...My friends. Shiro was sparing with Eliza and doing rather poorly, Gabby was doing sit ups with Tazorac, and Clyde was reading one of his spell books. I do admire his conviction. He is dedicated to his craft and will only get stronger as he grows. I just hope that he's ready for the day that he does have to face my father.


	18. I am a BEAST!

(SHIRO'S POV)

After being forced to train rigorously for a few hours with Eliza, she had finally decided to give me a break. I was currently chilling on a rock with Viz on my lap.

"Ya know, I think I'm starting to bulk up a little bit." I said to him.

"Sure... Let's go with that…" He said absentmindedly.

"What's got you so distracted?" I asked him.

"Nothing…" He pouted.

"Spit it out, mutt!" I demanded.

"It's stupid…" He muttered.

"Say it!" I growled at him.

"... Sometimes, I feel like I'll never find my special someone... I'm like FOUR years old! I need to settle down and find me a soulmate!" Viz said seriously.

Unfortunately for him, I couldn't contain my laughter. I feel over, holding my sides. "Are you... Freaking kidding...AAAAAAHAHAHAHAH!!!" Tears were falling down my face. "I gotta pee! I gotta freaking pee!!!"

"Stop laughing! I'm serious! A wolf like me has Three goals in life! Get strong, become alpha, and plow an alpha female in order to have kids that will grow up and become ALPHAS!" Viz snapped.

"Dude, you're being ridiculous…Why are you so hung up on this right now?" I asked him.

"What do you mean why? I just to you, it's one of a wolf's life goals!"

"Why are you telling me this? I can't exactly help you with this…"

"That is true... Didn't you lose your girl to Clyde?" Viz smirked.

"SHE WAS NEVER MY GIRL! I'll have you know, I was somewhat forced into that marriage. Plus that was only half of Isabel... which is gone right now…"

"Wow...So what's up with you and Gabby Gabs?" Viz asked.

"Absolutely nothing! I can't be near her for more than three minutes without me walking away with a black eye." I said.

"I see…Maybe you're just not an relationship material." Viz grinned.

"Screw you!" I said bluntly.

"That attitude won't get you with Gabby…" Viz chuckled.

"Shut the hell up you dumb mutt!" I shouted.

~BOOM~

"What the hell was that?!" Viz asked with confusion.

"Not sure...I t came from the woods."

We ran towards the loud explosion. Viz running along side me. The small wolf took a deep sniff and then looked at me. "Someone is over there! Be on your guard!"

I whipped out my daggers and gripped them firmly. "Right!"

We ended up running to a forest clearing. In the center was a small crater. Inside of it was a brown haired man with fresh battle scars all over his body. He was laying face down into the scorched dirt.

"Holy shit!" I said.

"Who is that?!" Viz asked.

"Not sure, but he needs help!" I said.

"Are you insane?! What if he's pure evil?"

"Well, if he tries anything, then we'll just kill his ass. Plain and simple." I said.

"How are we gonna help this guy anyway?!" Viz asked, still clearly not on board with the situation.

"We'll bring him back to the house. Amora and Izzy can take a look at him." I explained. Viz grumbled a response but ended up helping me carry the man back to the house.

-TWENTY FIVE MINUTES LATER-

I opened the front door and called out for Amora. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me with confusion.

"Who is that?!" Tazorac asked.

"And why did you bring him here?" Eliza asked.

"He's hurt! Like, real bad! He needs some medical attention!" I said.

"Bring him forward and allow me to take a look at his injuries." I carried the man towards the white haired healer and placed him on the floor next to her.

Amora examined the injuries carefully before making any judgement calls. "He's been beaten badly. What ever fight he got into, left him in pretty bad shape. This may take a while. Isabel and I shall tend to him, so just give us some space." Amora demanded.

Viz and I nodded and walked away from the healer. We decided to wait in our room and chill for the rest of the day.

"Who do you think that guy is, Shiro?" Viz asked.

"Not sure...What I do know is that he got his ass whooped pretty badly." I told him. Viz nodded. "I gotta use the bathroom. I'll see right back." I said as I exited the room. I walked towards the bathroom door and opened it. I shut the door behind me and locked it. I dropped my pants, took a seat on the oval office, and went to business.

I never noticed how boring it was to legitimately sit on the toilet and take a dump. I twiddled my fingers and started whistling. My heart sank when I heard the sound of moving water and light snoring from behind the show curtains. My eyes shifted to the side and I began sweating.

Oh God! What if Eliza is in the freaking tub! She's gonna hang me by my freaking nipples! Then again... Seeing Eliza naked…NO! That's your mentor! That's kinda weird... It couldn't be Amora or Isabel. They're helping the wounded man. Tazorac is out hunting and Xena is training Clyde...Fuck Clyde!

That only left two females. My hot ass mentor, and my kick ass Gabby...that wasn't necessarily mine...YET! My growing boner was leading my to some messed up actions. I wanted to rip open that shower curtain so badly and see who was on the other side. I know I'm not supposed to be in here right now, but c'mon! The chance to see Gabby or Eliza all wet and unclothed was driving me nuts! What if they were both in there!!! I began drooling all over the toilet seat. My a god named Rod strike me now because I gotta go see what's behind curtain number one!

I got up and pulled up my pants. I didn't flush so as not to wake whoever was in the bath. I tiptoed over to the bathtub and gently moved the curtains. I swear my nose was leaking when I saw the brown haired beauty laying peaceful in the tube with the steaming, soapy water covering her like a blanket. I got a real good look at her and I couldn't contain my intense joy. My mind was telling me to get the hell out of here, but my dick was screaming FUCK YEAH! DIVE IN THAT TUB, BITCH!!!

I stared at her chest as it would rise in and out of the water. I focus all of my strength not to thrust my hands out and grab her. I wanted to touch her so badly.

"...Fuck it dude. Amora will bring me back if I get mortally wounded." I muttered to myself.

I reached a finger out and poked her breasts lightly. She shifted a bit but stayed asleep. Liking the response I got, I ran my finger along her stomach until I got to the no no zone. I stopped just above her pelvic area. I had to think about the repercussions of my actions. On one hand, she'll wake up and kill me, then have Tazorac toss me into the ocean for nobody to find and she'll be apart of Clyde's ongoing harem in some twisted spin-off story titled Clyde Yukio Vs. The World…or shel actually enjoy what I'm doing and pull me into the tub and we can make SHIBBY actually happen! I weighed my consequences very carefully.

"Going with the second one." I said quietly.

I brushed my finger against her...woman part. I hard her make a cute sound that motivated me to continue. I kept fooling around with her for about another five minutes until I heard her say something that made almost faint.

"...Shiro…" She said in her sleep.

I grinned and looked at her. So she was dreaming of me huh… this was so cool! I decided that I was content with my creepy level of violation and decided that I should cut my losses and get the hell outta here. Just as I was getting up, I was caught off guard by Tazorac's loud voice from the other side of the door.

"Gabby, your towel is on your bed!"

I slipped back a dropped right into the tub. Gabby's eyes snapped open and she started at me with a look of shock. I looked back with panic. Her shock was soon replaced with rage.

"SHIRO!!!"

I know what this looks like, but I technically didn't rape you!" I said.

To make things go from bad to worse, Tazorac busted through the door and looked at me with a dark scowl. I felt my soul leave my body immediately.

"Well Tatsugami, it's time to say goodbye!" Tazorac said as cracked his knuckles.

"W...Wait! I can explain! This was all an accident! I didn't know that she was in the tub at first!" I said.

You know you fucked up when a girl punches you so hard that you wake up from your wet dream and hold your supposed to be broken jaw. I looked up at Viz as was trying to slap me awake.

"C'mon Shiro! Amora and Isabel are finished with the stranger."

"Uh...Yeah! Ok, let's go." I said.

We ran downstairs and stopped next to the rest of the group. I looked at Gabby with an awkward stare. I know it was just a dream, but damn was I ashamed of my dream self. The man was awake and rubbing his temples.

"It's ok sir. Just try to relax." Amora said.

"You don't understand! None of you do!" The man shouted.

"Wow...No hello, how are? I just saved your crispy ass!" I said.

"No one is safe. It's only a matter of time before we all are destroyed." The man said grimly.

"Dude, what's your deal. You're taking crazy right now." Viz said.

The man took a good look at all of us. He held a sad and pained expression. "All of you...You all die...All except you!" He said while pointing at me.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I asked.

The man got up and walked over to me. "This is all your goddamn fault!" The man punched me across the face.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I said angrily.

"You killed them all! You killed every living creature! All except yourself!"

"EXPLAIN GODDAMNIT!" I shouted.

"What year is this?" He asked.

"...Like what year the story was published or what year the story actually takes place." I asked.

"What are you…THE ACTUAL FUCKING YEAR!" The man snapped.

"It's the year A1135…" I said.

"Damn! I didn't go back far enough...oh well, I'll just leave to kill you and hope that this is enough to save the future."

"Woah! I'm not dying yet! We didn't even get to Zero's arc yet!" I said with panic.

"STOP DOING THAT!" The man said.

"Damn! Chill out! I'm still not getting killed yet…" I said under my breath.

"You are the reason I'm here! You got too powerful. You killed every on the planet. I had to escape using the chronomancy that I learned."

"Chronomancy? That's impossible! Only one man know how to get such a thing. Even my father hadn't mastered that ability and he's the-"

"Grand Spellcaster…I know...But even he fell to the hands of Metagenesis…" The man said.

"Metagenesis...OH WAIT! I KNOW WHO THAT IT!" I shouted.

"What? What are you talking about?" Tazorac asked.

"I saw him in a dream. Dude was strong as hell. He was beating the crap out of some guy in green." I told them.

"..." The man was silent.

"Wait a minute... You're the guy that was fighting him! You used you time powers good back in time and escape death!" I said with realization.

"Yes... I am. I have come back to make sure that Metagenesis never comes to be. My only option is to kill you." The man said.

"Why! I'm not evil! I didn't do jack shit!" I said.

"I can't take any chances." The man's hand glowed brightly. "Now you'll die!" He said seriously.

Tazorac grabbed the man's hand and glared. "Sir... I can't let you do that."

"You don't understand! I must kill him before the world falls!" The shouted.

"Nobody is killing anyone in here! Shiro dragged your ass here so that you could survive!" Tazorac snapped.

"I'm trying to save you! I came back from a time where you all perish! You must understand!" The man said.

"If we do have to kill Shiro then we will take care of it when the times arises!" Tazorac said.

"Yep." Gabby said.

"Mmhmm." Clyde nodded.

"Indeed." Xena spoke.

"Exactly!" Eliza exclaimed.

"...Not entirely sure how to take that…" I really wasn't…

"Bottom line is, you are are not laying finger on that boy! You wanna get to him, then you gotta go through me! Good luck with that though, because I don't mind swinging back." Taz said. Damn that was cool as hell.

"Aww, I didn't know you cared Taz." I said to him.

"Shut up, kid."

"Yes sir…" I muttered.

"I just want to rewrite the wrongs... I just want you all to live...First you'll die…" The man said, pointing to Taz. "Then you'll die…" He pointed at Amora next. "After her... Eliza will fall as well. Once she goes, then Metagenesis will begin to form from him."

"What are you talking about?" Clyde asked.

"Take a good look at my face." The man instructed.

We all stared at him closely. We still weren't entirely sure what he wanted us to see.

"GODDAMNIT!" He shouted. He grabbed me and pulled me next to him. "LOOK!"

"...I don't get it…" Izzy said.

"Yeah... neither do I…" Gabby spoke.

"I'm him! I'm Shiro Tatsugami!" The man said with frustration.

"What?! How? I thought that I was supposed to be evil in the future." I said.

"You...We technically still are. When the man in Red came and killed Eliza, it sent me...us, into a state of rage. In our sudden rise in angry, our negative energy began to rise out of our body. Our massive amount of soul energy manifested into something terrible... something ungodly...It created a new version of us. Aka our other half, aka Metagenesis." The man explained.

"Woah...So I really am the evil bastard that kills the people of this world." I said sadly.

"In a way...yes. When Metagenesis was created, I lost a lot of my most deadly abilities and half of my weapons." He continued.

"Like what?" Clyde asked.

"Like the Seven Deadly Sins style, All Seeing style, Nebula style, Demon Wind style, Telekinetic Vindication, Dracomancy, Necromancy, Retsuga's Claw, Gilgamesh Grips, Natas Blade, Ather Star, Mary's Blood Chain, Lucifer and Daimo, Soul Weaving, Chaotic Control, Book of Destruction and my Hanzuname Dragon Blade…" The man said.

"Holy shit! What do you still have?" I asked with amazement.

The man sighed and began listing once again. "My current abilities are Angelic Sun style, Stardust style, Ghost style, Doppelganger style, Trickster Technique, Arachnid style and Fanny Pack style. My classes are Chronomancy, Death Knight, Alpha Omega, Undead Champion, Shadow Assassin, Death Reaper and a... you guessed it...Rogue." He said.

"..." The whole room was silent. Everyone stared at him with a look of awe.

"As for my weapons, I have Khan's Kamas, The Hammer of Harboring, Bladed Wings of the Fourth, Eye of Nexus Prime, Claws of the Sixth, Triple Dragon Frost Nunchucks, Ecto Spear, the legendary sword Black Inertia, my vengeance suit and last but not least, my Scythe of Everlasting Vengeance." He concluded.

"... FUTURE ME IS A FUCKING BEAST!" I shouted.


	19. Make Amends

(SHIRO'S POV)

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Future Shiro yelled as he unleashed a loud wave of supersonic energy forward which shattered a small mountain in the distance.

"So how did you get so unbelievably strong?" Clyde asked the man.

"Simple... Through a lot of pain, struggle and most of all...loss…" He answered. "If you hadn't noticed already, I went through a lot of shit."

"So what became of the rest of us? You know... before we all died from your other half." Gabby asked.

"I'd like to know that myself." Eliza started with a grin. She was sitting on a large rock. She had an unreadable expression on her face.

"Well...Clyde and Isabel got together after something happened to Clyde and he became an extremely powerful mage and Isabel was well... you'll see when it happens. Clyde was eventually accepted by the Arcane Forest but he died before he could ever achieve his goal." Older Shiro said.

"Really?! So I never got to fight Dex…" Clyde muttered sadly. "DAMN! That's such bullshit! There's no way I just die like that!"

"What about me?!" Gabby asked.

"What's the matter?" Present Shiro asked.

"Gabby became a one of the strongest warriors on the planet. Her brute strength mixed with her beauty made her quite the deadly fighter...but then...You ended up...Well uh, how do I put this…" Future Shiro started.

"What? It can't be that bad...Right? I mean, you said I was one of the strongest..." Gabby asked.

"It's terrible...you were...nah, it's too bad to say…" Older Shiro said.

"Wow...even though you got stronger and slightly more attractive... you're still a complete dick." Gabby said rolling her eyes.

"Look, future stuff aside, you all end up dead, so I came here to prevent that. Plus I'm ninety percent sure that the planet got destroyed in my time."

"Damn... that sucks...so are you gonna teach me something badass. I wanna learn that Ghost style shit! Or maybe the doppelganger style. It all sounds dope! " I said excitedly.

"Hell no!" Future me said.

"No?! What, why?" I asked with utter disappointment.

"Number one, it was NOT fun learning any of that crap! Accept for doppelganger style….but still...You shouldn't worry though... you'll understand why VERY soon. Hehehehehehehehe." He started chuckling.

"...I don't see what's funny…" I said.

"Nevermind that...for now, I think I'm going to go explore the area. It's been so long since I have seen this place." The older me said before leaping off into the distance.

"Wow... I am kind of a dick…" I muttered.

-Later That Day-

Clyde, Gabby, Isabel, Viz and I were all swimming in the nearby lake. We all decided to relax after the many strange events that went on during the past few months. I was currently splashing around with Vizeron while also sneaking a couple of peaks at Gabby's fine ass. Don't get me wrong though, Isabel's rack was great to look at, but something about Gabby just intoxicating to say the least. I just want to squeeze her soft ass. She looked so hot in her bikini.

"Shiro…" Viz called out to me.

"Huh?" I said, snapped outta my thoughts.

"You're drooling again." He said with a toothy

"Shut the hell up you dumb mutt...I can't help it…Gabby is just so... awesome…" I said while looking at her laughing with Clyde and Izzy.

"Then why don't you ever make a move?" Viz asked.

"What?! I can't do that. Aside from the fact that Tazorac will murder me to the first degree, I'd be devastated if she rejected me. I have a huge fear of rejection…" I said sheepishly.

"Wow... You're a bitch." Viz said.

I dunked him into the water and glared. "You don't get it! Gabby is just too good for me. She so strong and tough, yet somehow manages to keep her hot temper in balance with her sexy feminine nature. Just talking about her makes me go nuts!" I said.

"Well, you'll never get her by talking to me…" Viz barked.

"I can't... I'm like the weakest one here. I can't impress her in any sort of way. In other words, I'm shit outta luck…"

"You just gotta pick your moment. Get her someplace where you two can be alone. Open up to her and embrace her interest. God knows that your interest are a little... explicit…" Viz explained. "Why don't you ask future you about it?"

"Hmm... That's a good point. Thanks Viz." I said to him.

"It's what I do...Now scratch my belly beta male!"

-Inside-

Night had fallen and we were all putting away the dishes. Future me and Eliza had just got back from their exploration. I ran up to the older me and spoke to him.

"Yo me, I have a few questions for you to answer." I said directly.

"That so? Alright then, go on. And please...just call me Vengeance." He said.

"Why Vengeance?!" I asked.

"That's what I started to go by ever since Metagenesis came to by. Plus, it's the name of my best armor." He said.

"Woah... Anyway, I need to ask about something important." I said.

"It's about Gabby isn't it?" He asked.

"...Yes…" I muttered.

"Meh... I'm not getting involved in this." He said.

"What? Why not?! I just wanna know if me and her will ever be a thing."

"Yes…" He said in a low tone.

"HELL YEAH!" I said.

"But…" He started.

"But? What do you mean, but?!" I asked.

"It doesn't last forever…" He said.

"Why?!" I asked sadly.

"There will be many different possibilities for you and Gabby to split apart. You will have to pick and choose what you're going to do in order to keep her. She goes through some trauma…" Future Shiro... I mean, "Vengeance" said.

"... I don't know entirely what that means, but it doesn't matter! I'm going to get Gabby and she's going to love me and we're going to have hella kids!" I shouted at him.

"Whatever you say kid...Just pick your moments wisely." He said as he started to head over towards Eliza's room.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh I'm just gonna ask her something before I head to sleep." He walked in and closed the door behind him.

I shrugged my shoulders and continued my thought process as I stared at Gabby's and Isabel's room door.

"C'mon Shiro...Just knock on the door and ask her out or something…" I said to myself.

I knocked on her door nervously until she decided to open it. She was in a loose white tank top and some blue shorts that hugged her ass. I admired her figure until she snapped her fingers.

"What do you want Shiro?" She asked.

"Oh...Hey, what's up Gabs?" I asked while leaning stupidly against the door frame.

"... I'm polishing my sword. Now leave." She said getting ready to shut the door.

I raised my hand and stopped it. "Wait. Gabby look, I was just wondering if you wanted to uh... hangout with me…" I asked.

"No." She said bluntly. Damn that shit hurt.

"Why?!" I asked hysterically.

"One, it's like ten at night." She said.

"So what? Ten ain't that late." I responded back.

"Two, where the hell would we even hangout at?" She pressed on.

"We could go around Rai Town or head off into the woods and check out the stars and stuff." I said getting pretty desperate at this point.

"Three, how are you even going to explain us just suddenly leaving?" She asked. "Taz would flip his shit if he saw us sneaking out."

"He's been training all day. I'd be surprised if he was still somehow awake. Plus, if he does happen to catch us, I'll just saw it was some late night training." I said.

"Shiro…"

"Please! I'm bored as hell and I just want us to be cool with each other. Ever since I meet this little group, you and me haven't exactly been the best of buddies."

"Well maybe it's because you're a pervert that can't understand boundaries!" She snapped.

"Ok... I'll admit that I have my issues...but at the end of the day, I can still be a chill guy. Just gimme a chance to prove myself to you." I begged.

"I'll think about it." She stated firmly.

"Aww man... Everyone knows that means no." I said sadly.

"It means that I need to think. Now, goodnight Shiro." She said before shutting the door.

I sighed and stomped back to my room. I swung the door open and on instinct, punched a hole through one of the walls. Viz and Clyde looked at me with questioning glances.

"Problem, Tatsugami..?" Clyde asked.

"Go fuck yourself Clyde." I growled.

"What happened?" Viz asked.

"She said that she'll think about it." I grumbled.

"That's why you're busting holes in the wall?" Clyde asked. "You gotta relax."

"Easy for you to say! Isabel practically adores you. I liked it better when she was all sexy for me you uptight bitch!" I snapped at him.

Clyde tossed his book to ground and tackled me. "Listen to me Tatsugami. Isabel is mine to have and to hold. Me and her go WAY back! I love her and I want her to love me back! Don't talk about her like she was ever yours or I will disintegrate you in an instant." The prick threatened.

"Why don't we test that theory once you've properly taken your balls out of your purse." I spat back.

"Would you two just chill the heck out already." Viz said with a glare.

Clyde scoffed and pushed himself off of me. "Watch yourself next time Shiro. Next time I won't hesitate."

"Fuck off you jealous freak. You've issues." I said as I angrily set up my makeshift floor bed. I layed down and glared at the ceiling. Viz walked over to me and curled up on my right side. I began to doze off.

-An Hour Later-

"...Fuck, I can't sleep…" I grumbled.. I kept thinking about Gabby's words. What if she really wasn't thinking about it? Did she only say that shit to push me away?! GODDAMNIT!!! I needed a glass of water to ease my nerves. So I walked over to the door. Once I turned the knob and pulled it open, my heart skipped a beat.

"Still wanna hang out..?" Gabby asked.

"Yes!" I said a little too happily. "...I mean, yeah that sounds cool…" I tried to recover.

"Then hurry up and get dressed…" She demanded more than asked.

I threw on a t-shirt and some loose shorts. I put my boots on quickly and walked next to her. "So, where are we going." I asked with a goofy grin.

"Out…" She responded blankly.

"Oh... That's uh, cool I guess." It wasn't cool. This was starting to get puzzling.

We quietly walked out of the house and over towards the center of Rai Town. It was quiet and empty in the town. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the fountain. I noticed how how silent Gabby was while we walked. It was freaking me out. She took a seat on the edge of the fountain and I followed her lead. I sat next to her and nervously looked around the area.

"So…" I started off awkwardly. She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "What made you wanna hang with Shiro all of a sudden?"

"I couldn't sleep…" She said absent mindedly.

"Well if it makes you feel better, I couldn't sleep either. I guess we're both in the same boat." I said with a grin. I looked at my reflection in the water of the fountain. "You wanna play a game?" I asked.

"Not really…" She replied. I purposely ignored her answer.

"Never have I ever... argued with my sister." I said to her.

She looked at me with a raised brow. "Seriously?"

"C'mon. It's your turn." I said while nudging her.

"This is stupid." She said.

"That's what makes it fun. Plus, it helps us get to know each other better." I said with a genuine smile on my face.

"..." She stayed silent.

"Aww c'mon Gabs. It wouldn't kill you if you played." I said.

She sighed "Never have I ever...killed something." She said.

"Really? I thought that you would've wasted at least a couple of monsters by now. You're so kick-ass that I'm legitimately surprised." I said to her.

"Well I don't just go around murdering things." She said.

"Alright! Never have I ever...met my mom." I said casually.

"What? How come?! If you don't mind me asking." Gabby asked with more of an interested tone of voice.

"I don't know…My sister and I had different mothers. My left my father and her passed away. Heheh... guess I'm not much of a mother's boy." I chuckled. Gabby didn't laugh. She stared at me with a saddened expression. "Look, don't see sweat it. It's not all that serious."

"Are you sure you're ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine. Just go on ahead and take and take your turn Gabs." I said.

"Never have I ever... eaten chocolate before." She said.

"No way! You've never had chocolate?!" I said.

"Nope. I never got around to eating some." She said.

I grabbed her hands in mine and stared at her gorgeous brown ones. "Gabby, I solemnly swear that one of the days, I'll get you to taste the savory flavor of a chocolate bar." I said seriously.

She smiled lightly at that. "I'll hold you to it then." She said.

"Hey, you still up for some stargazing? I know a great spot in the woods." I said while hopping off of the fountain.

"That sounds a little suspicious." She said with narrowed eyes.

"I won't do anything stupid this time." I said, extending my hand out to her. "C'mon Gabby. It'll be cool."

"Fine. You better watch yourself though." She said as she grabbed my hand.

I guided her to the forest clearing the I've been to many times. "Sometimes I bri Viz here to train. It's pretty cool isn't it?"

"It's alright." She said smirking. "I've been to better."

"You are a cruel yet beautiful woman…" I said before plopping down on a soft patch of grass. I motioned for her to take the spot next to me. She dropped down and layed next to me.

After about fifteen minutes of us just looking at constellations, we decided to dive into a new topic. Were started talking about our lives before the Red Death.

"It's still hard to believe that you were the absent prince. So many rumors about you. So many conspiracies... Turns out that you had been arrested and put on trial." She said.

"I don't even think about that anymore. I never really felt like a prince. I always wanted to connect with the people more. Unfortunately, I was supposed to be able to defend the city from all danger with the power of the kings. Only problem was that I wasn't born with any sort of power at all. I had nothing to use against the oncoming enemies. I grew desperate for some sort of power so I ran away from the castle and left HazenReach. I headed off into the city search for its lithium shard in order to gain its power. Not only did I not get any power, but I was also put on trial for crimes against the city and stealing the sacred new."

"You know, I heard about that trial. I couldn't believe that it was because the prince stole out city's lithium shard." Gabby said, intently.

"Yep. My father had to once again bail me out of jail. At this point, I think he just plain hated me. He was so fed up with my horse shit. I should've just told him the truth. I should've said why I needed the shard...but I couldn't bring myself to tell him that I was born a failure without his supposedly inherited power." I said with a broken smile. "I lost a lot of good people. I don't even know if any of them could forgive me for being such a complete disappointment."

I felt more weight on my chest. I looked down and saw Gabby's head rested on my chest. "I forgive you." She said.

Emotions swelled up inside of me. Those three words were the only three that I needed. It took everything inside of me not to just kiss her right then and there. "Thanks Gabby…"

We stayed as we were for a while. We kept a comfortable silence around us. I noticed that after about five minutes, she dozed off which left me thinking. She was so beautiful yet at the same time, she was as dangerous as she was good looking. Such a deadly combination. I glided my hand to her lower back and grinned before I too fell asleep.

-The Next Day-

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Ward of Flames: Burn Control!" I shouted as dark flames scorched the log in front of me. I really do like training early in the morning. It helped me clear my head. After my outburst last night, I decided that I might have some issues. I was angry but I should be able to control myself by now. Why Shiro managed to rile me up, I have no clue. He was so damn annoying! It pissed me off whenever he talked about him and Isabel like that. I hated it...but that was still no excuse for my unacceptable outburst. If I'm not careful, I might end up killing him.

I looked behind my and saw the future Shiro walking inside with Eliza following close behind. That guy was a whole nother case. How Shiro could end up so strong was beyond me. The fact that his corrupted side is what kills me in the future just doesn't sit right with me. What was this world coming to?!

"Hey Clyde, have you seen Gabby anywhere?" Tazorac asked, coming from Rai Town.

"No. I haven't seen her." I said.

"Damn! I swear if I find her with Tatsugami…" Tazorac growled as he stomped away to resume his search.

I decided to head back inside to go look for another spell book. I had just about mastered fire. It was time for me to learn a new elemental spell. I walked over to Xena and asked her for a recommendation on which form of magic I should learn next.

"I would recommend lightning. Your mastery over fire should make lightning feel like second nature to you as they both are aggressive plasma based spells." She said to me.

"I see...Ok, I will learn lightning spells as soon as possible." I said to her.

She nodded her head at me. "Don't worry too much about it now. We have been summoned by Dredge the Dragon Slayer. He has asked us to come to the Elemental Plane in order to aid him against a certain threat that has come forth." Xena said.

"Isn't he friends with Tazorac?" I asked.

"Yes. Him and Tazorac were childhood friends. Both went their separate ways as they grew older." Xena spoke. "Young Yukio, do you mind waking up Miss Isabel. We will be departing as soon as Tazorac finds Gabby and Shiro."

"I don't mind at all Xena. I'll wake her up now." I said, bowing with respect.

I turned around and headed up the stairs. I knocked on the door to Isabel's and Gabby's room. There was no response so I decided to knock again, only a little louder this time.

"Who is it?" Isabel asked kindly from the other side of the door.

"It's Clyde. May come in?" I asked politely.

"Yes you may." She replied.

I smiled, opened the door and stepped inside of the room. "Hey Isabel." I said to her. She was still wrapped up in her bed sheets.

"Hey Clyde. What going on?" She asked.

"We're heading out soon so you might wanna get yourself ready."

"Aww man. Can I get a couple more minutes?" She was with a cute little pout.

"Sorry my dear, but it's not up to me. Its Xena's request. If I had a say in the matter, I'd let you sleep for as long as you wanted." I twirled a finger around in her messy lavender hair. "We've been called for something important though so we gotta get a move on."

"Are Gabby and Shiro back yet?" She asked.

"No. How'd you know that Shiro was missing?" I asked.

"Gabby said that the two of them were heading out." She explained.

"Wow... I can't believe Gabby actually agreed to that." I said.

"I think it's adorable. She's never had a boyfriend before so this will be perfect for her!" Isabel said happily.

"Is it? This is Shiro we're talking about." I said to her.

"You remember my whole vampire side right?" She asked me. I nodded in response. "Well she was super into Shiro at the time. Shiro kept her happy with his flustered looks and constant embarrassment. It was nice to see that. I just love a little romance!" Isabel said. Her words made my heart beat faster.

"So…Are you looking for someone right now?" I asked.

"I dunno. Shiro is pretty good looking, but I don't wanna mess up what's already happening. Plus he's a little bit creepy sometimes. Are you looking for someone?" She asked jokingly.

"Not sure. Gabby's not really my type. Plus she'd probably break me in half." I joked back.

"Well Clyde, if you do find that special someone than you let them know exactly how you feel about them." She said getting out of bed.

"Right back at you Miss Yang." I said while walking out of the room. I shut the door behind me and grinned. One of these days.

I walked back downstairs and immediately saw Tazorac standing at the door holding a bruised Shiro by the collar of his shit. Gabby stood behind him glaring at her uncle.

"You're done Tatsugami! DONE!" Tazorac snarled.

"Tazorac! Put him down! We didn't do anything inappropriate." Gabby spoke.

"You two were sleeping with each other!" Tazorac said with hostility in his voice.

"It wasn't like that!" Gabby yelled.

"It really wasn't… we didn't even kiss." Shiro said.

"I don't care! I'm sick of you getting fresh with my little girl!" Tazorac said to Shiro. Shiro looked to his future self for assistance. His older version only shrugged his shoulders and went in the kitchen to grab a bite to eat.

"Tazorac, you need to stop treating me like I'm a little girl! I'm almost sixteen! I can make my own decisions! I don't need you directing me all the time." Gabby said. As she was talking, I had noticed Isabel walk up next to me.

"I'm just trying to protect you!"

"From what?! Shiro isn't going to kill me." Gabby's glare intensified.

"He does in the future!" Tazorac spat back.

"That's not fair…" Shiro grumbled.

"SHUT UP SHIRO!!!" Both of them yelled.

"Tazorac, Shiro is from HazenReach just like we are. Hell, he was the damn prince! All we did was talk about the old times. You're overreacting!"

"I don't care if he was a god! That still doesn't excuse him for getting so close to you!"

"ENOUGH!" Xena shouted. "Tazorac, this is getting ridiculous. The girl is growing up. She's going to start taking an interest in things like this and if she's willing to make decisions like this, then it'd be wise to support her. Now I'm not saying that they should go past their respective boundaries, but that should at least have some level of intimacy. A bond between comrades it always helpful to a team and if you forgot, we have been called to aid your friend with a high level threat."

"... Everyone just get on the damn ship." Tazorac muttered.

Needless to say, the boat was filled with tension. Shiro decided to keep his distance from Gabby, much to both of their dismay. He was currently scratching Vizeron's chin while looking out to the open sea. I decided to read up on the various lightning spells that I could learn.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"OW! You dick! You scratched the skin!" Viz growled at me.

"Huh, oh sorry about that. I got lost in my thoughts." I said.

"That happens to you alot." Viz remarked.

"Yeah, I suppose it does."

"So are you good with Gabby yet or is she still giving you the cold shoulder?" He asked.

"I mean, I guess we're good, but Tazorac still thinks that I'm a good for nothing jackass…" I said.

"That sucks. Can you scratch my belly now?" Viz asked. I sighed and gave him what he wanted. "Oh hell yeah! That's that good shit!"

"I'm not sure what we're about to go against, but I have to prove myself to Tazorac and Gabby. I really do want to Be with her dude! I feel like after last night, I actually have a chance." I said.

"Trust me dude, if you can rub her belly like this, she guaranteed to let you get it." Viz said with content.

"Shit dude, I hope so." I said with a grin.

-Fifteen Hours Later-

"Get me the hell off of this goddamn ship!" I shouted. I threw up over the side of the ship. "I hate this damn thing!"

"You know it's all in your head right." Clyde said with a passive look.

"Shut up Clyde…" I said to him as I clutched my weak stomach. "What do you even want?"

"Look... I came over here to apologise for my outburst last night. I shouldn't have snapped on you like that. I've been a little on edge lately. Hearing that I'm destined to die by you in the future doesn't exactly feel right." Clyde spoke.

"I don't believe in that shit. Fate can change. If the future me came back in time then that means our destiny has already been altered whether it be for better or for worse. I said to him.

"Yeah...Makes sense." He replied back.

"Yep…" I said awkwardly.

"Well I'm gonna go back to learning my lightning spells.."

"Clyde wait a second." I said stopping him.

"What is it?"

"We are allies right?" I asked.

"...Yeah…" He said.

"And you know a lot of magic right?"

"Where are you going with this?" He asked.

"I want to get stronger to avenge my fallen kingdom and you want to become the Grand Wizard-"

"Grand Spellcaster…" He corrected.

"Yeah, whatever... Look the point is that I can teach you a form of magic in order for you to reach your goal and you can teach me something in return." I suggested.

"So you're willing to teach me Necromancy?!" He asked with mild excitement.

"As long as you can help me with my mana." I said.

"That won't be easy. Your mana essence is pretty pathetic. Plus, I don't think I've ever seen you use actual mana at all. You've been using that soul energy stuff. I know virtually nothing about that." Clyde said.

"Never said it would be easy…" I said.

Clyde sighed. "Fine. If it means getting closer to my goal, then I'll help you."

"Great! Let's shake on it!" I suggested.

Clyde gripped my hand tightly and shook it. "It's a deal." He said before walking off.

"Did you and Clyde just become friend!" Viz asked.

"What?! Hell no! Don't play with me, Viz. I just need his help. We both just came to an agreement."

"Right…" Viz said with a grin.

"Viz, I will step on your little ass." I said.

"Don't even try it beta male!" Viz said with a toothy grin.

"Freaking mutt…" I grumbled.

After another three hours, the ship had finally pulled up to a beach. It was weird because the beach had black sand and was engulfed in and ominous looking mist.

"Here we are. The island of the dragons, Drachen Island." Tazorac said.

"This place gives me the freaking chills." I said with a shiver.

"Man up and let's go. We need to find Dredge." Eliza said.

I looked at my future self. "So what are we doing here? Are we going kick some dragon ass?" I asked.

"Can't say." He said.

"Why not?" I asked.

He walked past me to follow the others, leaving me confused. Viz hopped up on the left shoulder. "C'mon, they're getting away."

"Alright, chill out." I said. I would soon find out why my future self was so hesitant to tell me what happened on this island.


	20. May ye Rest

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Is it just me, or is it getting warmer?" I asked.

"We're nearing the Dragon's Den. It's the place where the legendary dragon Ashamir resides." Tazorac said.

"Woah…" I said in awe.

We continued walking until we reached a large cavern the was being guarded by two anthropomorphic dragons holding large swords in their hands. Tazorac walked up to them with a cold look on his face.

"Sorry gentleman...but we need to go through that cave and meet up with someone."

"Stand down human! If it is the Dragon Slayer that you're here for, then you're outta luck! He's to be sacrificed to our master Ashamir." One of the dragon men said.

"Goddamn draconians...I suppose that we'll be doing this the hard way." Tazorac said.

I jumped next to him and whipped out my daggers. "I'll back you up Tazorac!" I said with a grin.

"Beat it kid!" He said with a glare.

"Foolish human filth. You'll both die where you stand." Said one of the draconians. He charged at Tazorac, ready to swing his sword.

Tazorac unsheathed his large broadsword and blocked the attack. Tazorac used his might to push him back giving him enough time to block the sneak attack from the other.

"Get off of him!" I shouted before running and jumping up and send one of the draconians back with a divekick.

"I told you to beat it kid!" Tazorac yelled.

"No way! I'll show you what I've got!" I vanished from sight

"Where'd the child go?!" One of the draconians asked.

"You might want to look up top." Vengeance said nonchalantly.

"What?!" The dragon looked up to see my foot crash down onto his skull, planting him into the earth.

"How dare you! You shall tremble at the might of the draco-"

~WHAM~

The dragon man dropped my to the floor with Taz standing over him. His sword covered in blood.

"We'll be going now…" Tazorac said.

We all ran in to dark cavern. Clyde and Xena using a basic fire spell in order to light our path.

Vengeance lifted his hand up and glared at the deep cavern. "Chill out. I sense something approaching." Just then, a gang of smaller flying dragons flew out at us, ready to attack.

Xena thrusted her hands forward and narrowed her eyes. "Ward of Lightning: Chain Static!" A small stream of electricity webbed around all of the small dragons.

"Ward of Lightning: Static Discharge!" Clyde yelled. A large bolt of electricity surrounded the dragons, knocking them all out.

"Excellent work Clyde." Xena praised.

"Thank you." He said.

Just then, a large purple dragon stepped forward. A large warhammer was gripped in his hands. "You're journey ends here, humans. You will not survive my wrath." He said.

"Do you all feel that?" Clyde asked. "He's hiding some kind of strange energy."

"It's his dragon essence. It's what every draconian possess when they get to a high enough level. He's of an adequate skill level." Vengeance said.

"Impressive that a mere human has such knowledge of my species." The purple dragon man said.

"I know an awful lot about this world. I also know that you're not strong enough to kill me when I'm fighting." Vengeance said.

"Fool! Your arrogance will be your undoing! I am Shulk! The brutalist!" The dragon roared. "Now you die!"

"Hmph…" Vengeance closed his eyes. "Trickster Technique!" He shouted. He opened his eyes wide and she glared daggers at the dragon. He promptly teleported in front of the dragon and punched him in his abdomen. When Shulk tried to swing his giant hammer down on him, he teleported behind him and sent him a nasty kick to the back of his head.

"Fight me face to face you coward!" Shulk yelled.

"Fine then…If that's what you wish..." My future self said. "Fanny Pack style!" Vengeance reached his arm out and a strange looking red portal appeared. He reached his hand inside and smirked. "Molten Shiranga!" He pulled out an orange bow with a flaming red string.

"What the hell is that?" I asked.

"I got this old thing from killing a fire elemental in the deep pits of hell." He said.

"Where are your arrows?" Clyde asked.

"Let me show you." Vengeance took aim and pulled back the fiery string. I bright orange orb charged. "Fire…" He muttered. He released the string and propelled the fire forward. As the fire blasted forward, it took the form of a sharp, flaming arrow. The arrow pierced the dragon's leg.

"GAH!" Shulk shrieked with pain.

Vengeance pulled the string back with three fingers. This time, two flaming arrows formed and blasted at Shulk. The Dragon lifted up his hammer in order to deflect the two fiery projectiles.

"Not bad...but see if you can block this." Vengeance said as he pulled the string back fiercely. "Now you'll become nothing but ash…" Vengeance muttered. He released the string and propelled a large fire arrow towards the dragon. Shulk attempted to block it but it only resulted in his hammer getting destroyed along with him.

"Holy shit!" I said.

The older me made another portal and put the bow back inside. "Let's move on." He said.

We ended up walking to a large room. Waiting for us was a large red dragon, Dredge, a few hooded figures and a man dressed in red. I noticed that my future self was glaring at the man dressed in red.

"So we have guests... Lovely…" The man in red said with a chuckle.

"You red bastard! I'll kill you this time around! I won't fail like I did before!" Vengeance said angrily.

"Have we met?" He asked.

"You will die!" Future Shiro yelled. "Stardust Style!" He began to glow.

"Excuse me?" The red man said.

"You piece of shit!" Vengeance held out a bright hand. A beam of white energy was blasted towards the man in red.

The man chuckled and swatted the beam away. "What a waste…"

"Waste this, bitch!" Vengeance screamed as he pushed forward. "Ward of Time: Clock Work Slow-mo!"

Time slowed down for all but my future version. He sprinted at the man in red. He slammed his fist against his chest. A second later, a flash of green energy swarmed around him. As the energy faded, my future self was once again inside of the same black and green outfit as the one that I saw in my dreams. The Vengeance suit.

"With the spirit of all those that you've killed in my timeline and this one, I will kill you!" Within the blink of an eye, future Shiro was in front of him. "This is the power of vengeance!" His black and green scythe formed in his hands and he slammed it down on the red man.

The room was silent as time began to go back to normal. Not only did the scythe not connect, but the man in red also managed to catch blade in his hands.

"So close Mr Tatsugami…" The man in red placed a hand on his chest. "Yet so far…" He blasted a pur beam of energy energy through his chest and then kicked him back over to us. "I knew you'd come back in time...My future self already warned me about you. I've been waiting for you to show your face. Hell, you've even brought the little bastard from this timeline. This is perfect! I now have the opportunity to eradicate you both right here and now."

"Fuck that! I'm not dying by you! You killed my people and you're gonna pay for that!" I sneered.

"Said the level 18 shit stain. Face it kid, you're the least threatening one here. I took out the strongest person in your little group. It's over!" I hated that he wasn't lying.

"N...no... It's not over until I say it's over!" Vengeance said. He said started to glow again. His wound held instantly. "Angelic Sun Style!" Angel wing sprouted from his back and his eyes glowed brightly. An angel halo also appeared above his head. "You can't beat me when I'm like this and you know it."

"...Hmph. Very Shiro... Another day…" He slashed the air creating a portal to an unknown location.

"You won't get away!" Vengeance lifted his hand and created an orb of light.

"Don't worry people. I left my new pets with you...now...Ta-ta!" The red man stepped through the portal with the group of hooded figures and left us with an enormous red dragon and a collapsed Dredge.

"... Amora, Isabel, go help Dredge. Xena, Clyde, Gabby and Isabel, I want you to back me up. That dragon is pissed. We can't have that thing running loose." Tazorac ordered. We all assumed our positions. Amora and Isabel both ran towards the fallen dragon slayer. "Xena, Clyde, I want you both to use your best binding spells. Gabby and…both Shiros, I want you to attack head on with me. Can you guys handle that?"

"Yeah! We got this." I said.

"Great! Now let's do this-"

~WHACK~

Before our very eyes, Isabel was sent flying back. She was knocked out cold and had a large gash on the side of her check.

"Holy shit!" Gabby said.

"ISABEL!!!" Clyde shouted with anger.

We all looked in the direction that she came from. We could all see Amora getting choke slammed into the ground by a strange looking Dredge. His helmet was off and his black hair was wild. Ominous purple eyes and an evil smirk decorated his face.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Xena shouted. "Ward of Wind: Gale Force Blast!" A large gust of wind pushed Dredge back a few feet. Xena ran up to her fallen friend and held her tightly. "Amora! Are you ok?!" She asked.

"Don't worry about me. I must tend to Isabel." Amora said back.

I looked at Clyde. He was staring at Isabel with wide, broken blue eyes.

"Clyde... She's gonna be alright." I said trying to ease his rage.

"The motherfucker! I will kill him! I WILL KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!!!" Clyde flared up mana and blasted forward. He cocked back a flaming fist and threw his fist into Dredge's face. The corrupted man skidded back. As he tried to regain his composure, Clyde blasted a ball of fire at his face. The you mage dropped down and leg sweeped the former dragon slayer and followed up with an electrically charged fist. He buried his fist deep into the man's stomach. "Ward of Lightning: Fist of Five Million Volts!!!"

"...Goddamn…" I muttered. The gap between us just keeps widening. It low-key pisses me off but now was not the time for that. The large red dragon roared at me, other me, Tazorac, Gabby and Viz.

"Shit... I gotta go stop Clyde from killing Dredge. I need you three to distract that damn dragon before it rips us all apart." Tazorac ordered.

"What?! We gotta fight a dragon like that?!" I said surprised.

"How the hell do we do that?!" Gabby asked.

"Relax, you've both got me!" Vengeance said.

"And me!" Viz barked, feeling left out.

"That is true... Alright then! Let's do this!" I let out my soul energy. Purple static surrounded me and I pushed off of the ground and sent the large beast an uppercut.

Gabby ran up with her long sword in her hands. He she front flipped upwards and began running up it's tail. As she was closing the distance, future Shiro was charging up another one of those angel blasts. Viz was keeping the the creature at bay with his high frequency sonic howls.

As soon as I landed, Gabby had managed to stab the beast in it's left eye. The dragon roared with pain and anger. It swung it's head around violently flinging Gabby in the air.

"I got this!" I shouted. Using my soul energy, I jumped up high into the air, catching her in my arms. Once I landed I promptly put her down next to me.

"Thanks for that." She said with a grin.

"Anytime!" I grinned back.

"Alright, it's ready!" Vengeance shouted. I was starting to think that calling him Vengeance when he's out of his vengeance suit was kinda pointless. "You ready for this ya red prick? HOLY SPHERE!" The future me, chucked the large white and yellow orb of light at the beast. The sphere engulfed it completely and exploded on contact.

"That was awesome!" I shouted.

"You're so much cooler than present Shiro!" Viz barked happily.

I kicked him and glared. "You're on thin ice, mutt!" I snapped.

We looked at the fallen dragon. It was still breathing...barely. "You know... It's not so bad when it's not trying to kill us."

"That was hardly even a challenge." Future me said.

"We should probably kill it. Who knows what it might do when it recovers?" Viz suggested.

"Please don't. Spare me humans. I promise you that I have no intentions of laying waste to your land." The dragon spoke.

"You can talk?!" Gabby asked with confusion.

"I dunno… What if you're just lying?" I asked.

"I swear it on my honor. You must spare my life. You see, I am the protector of the Dragon Realm. If you kill me then billions of my kind will suffer. Our home will be exposed to those that wish to harm it. You must show some kind of sympathy. Not for my but for my race." The red dragon begged.

"What's in it for me?" I asked.

"Shiro?!" Gabby said with shock.

"That is messed up dude…" Viz said.

"Hey! He tried to kill us!" I said.

That was only because of the cruel treatment you humans have given to my species!" The dragon snapped.

"...No comment. Now state your offer... What's your name again?" I asked cluelessly.

"Ashamir…" He spoke.

"Oh yeah...Well Ashamir, whatcha got to give?" I asked.

"I can offer you a power that no mere human can possess on their own. It's a power that only those that have a special bond with a legendary dragon can achieve." Ashamir said.

"...and that would be..?"

"The power of an Elemental Dracomancer." The dragon said.

"Oh shit! For real?! I don't know what that is, but it sounds cool as hell." I said with his excitement. "Give me power!"

"Very well. Keep in mind that you will have to train this new ability in order to achieve its full potential. It may seem underwhelming at first, but it will soon grow to be a very powerful-"

"Blah, blah, blah! Just give me the stupid power already!" I yelled.

The dragon sighed. "I can not believe that it's come to this…"

"Neither can I! This day sure was something…" I muttered.

The red dragon placed one of his large claws.on my chest. I began to glow multiple different colors. First red, then orange, then yellow, green and finally, blue. "Now child…You have been give.the power of the elemental dragons."

"Yes!" I shouted. Another thing I can use against Clyde!

"NO!!!" Said Clyde in the the distance. We all looked back. All of us except my older self. He just sighed and held his head down.

"Oh...Oh my God... TAZORAC!" Gabby pushed past me and ran over to her uncle who had a large blade lodged in his chest. He was currently standing in front of a fallen Clyde who held a look of panic on his face. The man that stabbed him was staring at what he had just done. Dredge's face no longer held malicious intent. He held a sorry look on his face.

"Tazorac... I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I... I wasn't in my right mind... please…" Dredge tried to say.

Tazorac coughed up a spew of blood as he yanked the sword from his chest. "No... don't be sorry…The red man should be sorry…" Tazorac dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

"Tazorac!" Xena shouted with alarm. "Amora, help him!"

The white haired woman healer ran to the fallen warrior. She examined the gaping hole in his chest. As if on instinct, Amora began hyperventilating. Tears started falling down her face.

"What's... What's the matter?!" Gabby asked with her own set of fresh tears.

"He's... He's untreatable... I can't close the wound. He's... losing too much blood. I... I don't know what to do!" Amora said, breaking down.

"Amora please! Do something! Anything! I need him alive!" Gabby begged.

"I'm... I'm sorry...I can't do anything about it. Tazorac is dead... He's gone Gabby…" The white haired healer spoke.

"N...no... please don't tell me that Amora... PLEASE!" Gabby said.

Amora turned her head away from her. "Forgive me…"

"Goddamn…" I muttered sadly.

Gabby sniffled a bit. Once she wiped her tears away, she gave a deathly stare at the shook up man before her.

"You did this... you're the heartless bastard that did this to my uncle!" Gabby shouted. "He was the last bit of family that I had in this goddamn world! He was everything to me... even if I didn't always show it…"

"I... I didn't mean to... I'm sorry...You have to believe me, it wasn't my fault!" Dredge shouted.

"It too late for that...you have to pay. I will watch you bleed you rotten piece of shit!" Gabby grabbed her recently discarded longsword. She stomped over to the terrified dragon slayer.

As much as I understood her intentions and everything, but this was still a little extreme. I mean, it wasn't technically his fault. The real killer was once again, the fucking red man. Either way, I had to stop her from doing something rash.

Gabby kicked the man to the floor. She loomed over him with a horrific look of malicious rage. She raised her sword, ready to stab him. She would've to I had ran up to her and hugged her tightly from behind.

"Don't…" I whispered in her ear.

"He killed him! I have to avenge him Shiro!" She yelled while trying to get outta my tight hold on her waist.

I wrapped my arms around her even tighter. "Listen to me. Your hurting the wrong guy. He's not to blame. Killing him won't solve anything. It won't bring Tazorac back."

"..." She grew silent.

"Gabby listen to me clearly. Don't kill him-"

~WHAM~

I dropped to my knees and held my sore ribs. She ended up swinging her elbow deep into my ribcage. I sank to my knees and held myself.

"Shiro!" I heard Viz call out to me with concern etched in his voice.

"I'm sorry Shiro... I have to do this. You wouldn't understand…" Gabby said darkly.

"Y... you're wrong... I understand completely...which is why I want you to make the smart choice." I choked out. Damn did this hurt like hell.

"...No... I'm sorry Shiro." She muttered.

She raised her sword again. I closed my eyes and turned my head away. Dredge's screams of pain mixed with the blood curdling sound of flesh being ripped and shredded in such a grotesque manner haunted my ears.

-On The Ship-

We decided to bring Tazorac's body back home with us in order to give him a proper burial. His body layed underneath a blue sheet. Gabby had finally stopped her sobbing but decided to continue looking at him sadly. The mood of the whole crew was just plain depressing. None of is were supposed to die, let alone Tazorac. It was complete bullshit.

I had been looking out at the vast ocean, stuck in thought. That's when something hit me. I looked over at my future self and gave him a threatening glare.

"You son of a bitch! You knew this shit was going to fucking happen the whole time and you didn't say shit about it! You're a grade A prick!" I snapped at him.

"Yes I knew...but I couldn't intervene." He said.

"Why not?! You've already changed so much shit in a timeline that you don't even belong in! Why not change that part of history? You were so ready to kill me and fix this shitfest of an world, so why couldn't you just step in and save Tazorac?!" I asked angrily.

"Why...You wanna know why? HERE'S WHY! IT'S BECAUSE I'VE BEEN FUCKING THINGS UP FROM THE START! I CAME BACK IN TIME TO KILL MY PAST SELF, BUT I DIDN'T! HE KNOWS! THE MAN DRESSED IN FUCKING RED KNOWS WHO I AM AND WHY I'M HERE! I DON'T KNOW HOW AND I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THAT IS A BAD THING!!!" Future Shiro yelled with infuriation.

"Why is that?" I asked with little interest at all. I was still pissed.

"... He's one step ahead of me...Of us! All of us! I don't know how but I think that the red man from my timeline is somehow able to communicate with his past self. He's feeding him information! This mean that the more I changed right now, the more vulnerable you all are. I've already messed with so much shit…"

"Then just kill me and get it over with. If I die, then the whole world will just be a better place!" I yelled at him.

"No! You're needed in more ways than one. I'll figure something else out but for now, I think you should go and talk to someone right now." He said gesturing towards Gabby.

"...Fine but this ain't over...Not by a long shot!" I growled at him.

"I don't expect it to be." He muttered.

I walked over to the brown haired girl that I was crushing on. She looked so broken. It hurt me to see her like this. So fragile and distant. She was disturbed. I had to do something.

I sat down next to her and looked at her. She didn't even bother making eye contact. "Hey…"

"... I'm sorry…" She said.

"Amora says my ribs will be fine so does worry about it-'

"Not for that. You told me not to kill him...and you were right...It didn't help. I feel even worse right now. I'm depressed Shiro...only this time, I'm alone without my Uncle here to encourage me." She said in a broken voice.

"Gabby... It might feel like your alone...but you're not. I know what you're feeling right now. Before I joined the House of Mentors, I was confused and lost in the world even before the Red Death. When. I didose my family, I had nobody to get me through those dark days...At least until I met you guys. You all got me through a lot of emotional shit just by making feel like I was apart of a family. For that, I thank you sincerely. Now that you feel that way, I want to make you happy. I want you to give me that rare smile. The one that you finally showed me the other night. I want you to feel safe with me. I know I'm not the strongest, but I swear to every god that I will, from here on out, bust my ass in order to get the power to keep you all safe... especially you." I placed my right hand lightly against her cheek. I let the other one clasp hers. "It may not be today...It may not be tomorrow...but I swear to that I'll make you smile like that again!" I said to her.

"Shiro…" She said my name so softly. So brokenly that I to felt as if I'd shatter at any moment.

I leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Get some rest. I'll check on you later." I said to her. As I went to get up, she grabbed my bare arm. Her hands warm against my skin. What happened next blew my mind. In one motion, she spun me around and pressed her lips against mine. A wave of emotions hit me. I froze up. I couldn't move. She moved her hands to my face and cupped my cheeks, effectively deepening the kiss. I noticed a single tear roll down here face. Once I saw that, I was snapped outta my trance. I slowly pulled back and looked at her.

"W... what's wrong-" She started.

"It's nothing. I want to kiss your lovely lips more than you know, but...Not like this Gabs. I want you but only when you're absolutely sure that you want me. I'd be happy to do this if and when we do become a thing, you know?" I spoke with my honest feelings.

"Oh…" She said, trailing off.

" Look, you've got a lot on your mind so just give your thoughts some time. I will wait my ass of if it means I get to kiss you for real next." I said with a grin. I noticed her cheeks redden at my words. "Goodnight Gabriella." I said to her before walking off.

"... Goodnight Shiro…"


	21. A Future I Want to Erase

(SHIRO'S POV)

I was sitting inside of the house staring outside of the window. I looked at Gabby as she stared at the grave of her uncle. His death was one that would affect us all. It was a death that was unexpected and one that we didn't need right now.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Clyde holding his head, looking down at the floor. Ever since Tazorac died, he's been blaming himself for the whole ordeal. His own self guilt was eating at him and he was losing confidence in himself.

Izzy had been shaken up about the incident when she was first informed. It left her feeling a sense of uselessness. She was upset with herself for not being able to help.

Amora was practically broken. She had been praying for the fallen warrior since his death. She was losing her mind and because of this, she was often left alone. We all knew why she was upset. She felt as if she failed to save him and that left a heavy weight on her chest. She was only ever seen with Xena, who was constantly reassuring the healer.

Speaking of the mage. She was going non-stop in her studies in hopes of finding a resurrection spell. I suggested using my necromancy but my future self, who I was now calling Tatsu, told me that it wasn't such a good idea.

Eliza was being much more reclusive and was far less bombastic. I'd only ever see her with my future self. I don't know why but they've been getting real close lately and after what happened, she'd only really talk to him. That thought left me wondering.

Night had fallen once again and we were all inside. Gabby decided to skip dinner and head straight to bed. I decided to go after her. I was legitimately concerned. The last thing I wanted was to see her harm herself. As I got up, my future self placed a hand on my shoulder.

"We need to talk." He said, seriously.

"In a second. I gotta go check on Gabby. I said.

"Fine...but this is important, so make it fast." Tatsu said.

I nodded and walked upstairs and headed over to her room. I knocked on her door. I didn't get a response. I decided knocked again.

"Gabby, are you alright?" I asked.

"..." Still nothing.

"Gabby...I'm gonna come in, ok?" I said. I sighed and turned the knob. She sat down on her bed, with her face buried in her knees. Fresh tears fell down her face. "Hey Gabs." I said.

"...Hey…" She muttered.

I sat down next to her and glanced at her with a passive look. "You doing alright?" I asked.

"About as fine as you could probably expect. I don't know what I'm going to do. He's really gone now, Shiro. I know that I have all of you guys, but it's just not the same." She said.

I gripped her hand tightly. "You know he's still watching over you, right? He's watching from above. He may have died but that doesn't mean that he didn't want you to keep living to the best of your ability. He'd want you to grow and to be even more amazing than you are now." I said.

"What does that matter now? The man in red took yet another thing away from me." She said sadly.

I turned her head in order for her to face me. "Think of it like this...You and me are the last of our people. The last bit of HazenReach. We're two of a kind. Just you and me." I said.

"I guess…" She muttered while averting her eyes.

"Look at me Gabs. Like I said before, I like you... Maybe even love you... I just want you to be happy. No matter what it is you do, I want you to do it happily. So long as you show me that genuine happiness." I said.

"Shiro…" She muttered.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Shut up, ok?' She said as she hugged my chest. "You can shut the hell up, now. I don't need to hear anything else." She grabbed my shirt tightly and buried her face into my chest. "I don't understand you."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You're being so nice and caring to me. All this time, I've been nothing but a complete bitch to you. I mean, granted you were a freaking pervert but still... I shouldn't have acted that way to you. Now, you're here on my bed, acting like a prince to the rescue." She said.

"Well, I technically am your prince...or at least I was." I said with a grin.

"My point is, you're being so kind to me and I don't get why." She said.

"I'll be honest with you Gabby. I don't come close to deserving an awesome chick like you...but you deserve a guy like me. I intend to hold true to my promise. I will fight for and with you. I want us to get stronger together. I never got the chance to prove myself to Tazorac...but I can at least prove myself to his niece. Will you give me that chance Gabby?" I asked her.

She looked at me with those beautiful eyes of hers. "That depends…"

"Depends on what?" I asked.

She pressed her body against mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. I could feel my face heating up. "You've gotta promise me something…" She asked.

"Alright...go on…" I said.

"I'm more than willing to be yours Shiro...but you've gotta promise not to leave me. I'm doing something that I don't do often. I'm opening my heart to you. I'm trusting you. I've never been in any sort of romantic relationship before so I'd rather not have to deal with the pain of losing my first boyfriend…" She said with embarrassment.

"So you really do like me?" I asked happily.

"Shiro, I don't want you to die. I can't handle losing you like how I like how I lost Tazorac...or my parents... Please promise me that you won't leave me." She hugged me tightly.

"Gabby... I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you. I won't die on you! I will be all that you need." I embraced her slowly. "Let me be yours."

"You stupid idiot…" She moved her lips against mine, only this time, it was a more welcoming one. One that I had no problem complying with. I kissed her back with just as much emotion.

"Ahem!" I heard from the doorway. We both broke apart and glared at the older me leaning on the door frame. "Am I interrupting something?" He asked with agitation.

"What?! Hell yeah! I was finally gonna hit first base! Or is this second base..?" I spoke. "Doesn't matter! We're busy."

"I told you to hurry up!" Tatsu said.

"So what?! What's so important that I have to leave my girlfriend?!" I asked with annoyance.

"We need to leave!" He said.

"What?!" I shouted. "Why?!"

"Simple...You need to step your game up, kid. I'll be honest with you, you're far weaker than you should be at this point in time. You should be much stronger than you are!" He snarled.

"How is this MY fault?" I asked with a hint of venom in my tone.

"You're so worried about all of this lovey dovey horse shit, that you've been slacking!" Tastu shouted.

"Not now dude. I'm kind of in the middle of something at the moment." I said.

"No! Get up, and get ready to leave. From this point on, Eliza and I are going to start hammering out your soft tendencies and are gonna replace them with the attitude of a true fighter." He declared.

"I'm not going! Not without Gabby. Sorry to say it but I just made her a promise. I'm not leave her!" I said defiantly.

"You need to focus! It's not the time for you to be goofing around with your little girlfriend." He said.

"My mind is made up. I will not leave Gabby!" I said.

"I...You...We...You motherfucker…Don't make this harder than it needs to be…" He said.

I grabbed Gabby's hand and quick pecked her lips. "Then let her come with me." I said.

"You'll be too distracted!" He replied.

"She's the toughest chick I know. She can help me train." I suggested.

"..." My older self, growled.

"Please. I just promised that I won't leave her." I said.

-The Next Morning-

"Can you hand me a snack?" Viz asked from my shoulder.

"Yeah, no problem." I said, handing him a handful of bacon bits.

"Thanks beta male." He barked happily.

"How far are we going up this damn mountain?!" I asked with exhaustion.

"Shut up. We're going all the way up." Eliza said.

"That's cool and all, but why do I have to carry all of the supplies?!"

"It's a part of your training, now suck it up." Tatsu said.

"...Can you at least tell a future story to pass the time?" I asked grumpily.

My older self sighed with annoyance. "As you wish…Hmm...What tale do I tell?"

"Oooh, tell us how you split apart from yourself, making Metagenesis!" Viz shouted. I almost tripped because of him.

"I guess that's fair enough. I guess it all started when we finally came face to face with the man in red. He was with a group of his allies. General Zeth, commander of the corrupted angels, Zhev, the dark pharaoh of the Sandsea Pyramids, Tomix, the manipulative Soul Weaver, the ShadowGun Trio, a brainwashed Poseidon, the elusive A-6, the world's most notorious bounty hunter, Lady Edith, sorceress from hell and last but certainly not least, Schepulturath…" Tatsu began to trail off.

"You mean the current king of hell?! The bastard that fought my... I mean, our father for years!" I shouted.

"The same one. He is going to partner with the red man and when that happens, it'll be a dark day." Tatsu said.

"What happened?!" Viz barked with anticipation.

"We faced them…All of them head on." Tatsu spoke. "To think that being eighteen years old would suck so much."

-Future Flashback-

(FUTURE SHIRO'S POV)

"I'm gonna stomp your red ass to the fucking ground you piece of shit!" I shouted.

"Well consider me baffled. You actually got a little group together in order to rival my own. I admire your tenacity, boy. Unfortunately for you, I have little time for your meaningless talk. Once I tear that Lithium Shard out of you, I'll have the full complete power of the Diamond of Lithium!" The man in red spoke.

"Hmph... You want the shard right…" I closed my eyes and channelled my mana. "You better watch what you ask for!" I slammed my fist into the floor and watched as hundreds of well armoured skeletons sprung from the dirt. "Clyde, do your thing!" I yelled at my comrade.

"Got it! Spell of Enhancement: Gift of the Titans!" Clyde yelled. Each of my minions were surrounded by a blue aura. The spell not only increased their speed, but also their strength.

"Alright my undead legion, go kick their ass!" I screamed. My swarm of minions charged forward in hopes of attacking our enemies. They were stopped short when a large tidal wave from Poseidon washed them away. "Well... That's ass…" I looked over my shoulder to see Eliza tangoing with the three of those shadow bastards. Xena was going toe to toe with Poseidon. She had help from her older brothers Xeno and Xeto. I looked to my left to see Clyde, Isabel and Gabby were currently trying to hold off Zhev, A-6 and Lady Edith. They had assistance from a man named Zero...He was a story from another time.

I looked forward towards the three men that stared me down. Tomix, Schepulturath and The Red Man…

"So kid... how's my gift?" Tomix asked with a grin. "You know, the whole negative soul energy thing."

"Jokes on you! I stopped relying on that stupid power!" I shouted.

"Aww c'mon now, Shiro... You're gonna hurt my feelings!" Tomix snickered.

"I'm gonna do a whole lot more than hurt your feelings!" I yelled. I blasted forward and threw a fist at Tomix. He sidestepped it and blocked my follow up attack and sliced a hand blade of soul energy across my chest. He kicked me away which caused me to slam back first into Schepulturath. The tall armoured devil lifted his massive red sword and slammed it down on me. I had just barely caught the blade in my hands. He began to press it down harder. The blade's edge slowly inched closer to my face.

"Son of King Tatsugami...You will FALL!" Schepulturath shouted.

"Piss off you demonic prick!" I heard Eliza shout before she drop kicked the shit outta the devil king.

"Boy, am I glad to see you!" I said to my mentor.

"Cut the chit chat and kick some ass already!" She said while punching one of Schepulturath's demon soldiers away.

"Right!" I nodded before turning around and once again facing the enemy. "Where the hell is Viz?!" I asked out loud.

"I'm right here, beta male!" Said a loud voice. I turned around and saw my animal companion. Viz was the size of a small mountain. I could see Haruka Blade, Zeyconius and Evelyn on his large back.

"I hope we're not late for the party." Haruka said as he jumped down and landed next to me.

"Things are just getting started!" I said.

Evelyn dropped down with her father. She ran up and hugged me. "How come you didn't visit me you jerk!" She shouted with a pout.

"Sorry... I've been busy." I chuckled.

"That doesn't matter now. We're gonna finish these assholes off, NOW!" Viz said eagerly. Before I could even agree with him, a large, black and red three headed dog that was Vizeron's size, tackled him.

"Oh shit…" I muttered.

"Just in time, my lovely Cerberus!" Schepulturath yelled. "Now devour that wretched mutt!"

"VIZERON!!!" I yelled with concern. The three headed hell hound chomped down hard on Viz's front two legs. Blood rushed down his three fresh wounds as he howled with pain. "Hold on buddy, I'm coming!" I shouted.

"Shiro, don't!" I heard Isabel, Gabby and Clyde yell at the same time.

As I got into a close distance, one of the Cerberus's side heads turned towards me and blew out a storm of fire.

"Ward of Light: Orb of Reflection!" A yellow orb surrounded me as I ran through the stream of flames. The fire bounced back towards the large beast but ultimately succeeded in doing absolutely nothing. I didn't care though. I pushed through until I was able to get to Viz. I jumped up on top of my injured friend and looked over his massive bite marks.

"This kinda hurts, Shiro." Viz muttered.

"You'll be alright. I'll make sure of it." I spun around and glared at the humongous BattleBeast in front of me. "I'm not afraid of a stupid dog!" The Cerberus growled, lava dripping from its large mouth. It's enormous, sharp teeth flashed in my direction. "BRING IT!!!"

"Koriju! Do it now!!!" I heard from the sky. Suddenly, large blast of frozen energy slammed down in front of me and Viz, forcing the large monstrous dog away from us.

"Wait a second…" I grumbled.

A large four headed, ice dragon descended in between us and the Cerberus. Standing on top of it was Zero. His snow white trench coat flowing in the cold wind that surrounded him. He stared back with his chilling eyes and gave me a cold look. I returned it with little hesitation.

"Tatsugami...Even you're not foolish enough to try and take on a high level BattleBeast hear on... Perhaps you somehow suffered from head trauma during this battle…" Zero muttered with a bored tone of voice.

"Fuck off you frosty freak! I got this!" I snapped at him. I REALLY hated this guy.

"Stubborn as usual... I will trust that you will stand aside and let Koriju and I handle this." He said.

"And why would I do that?!" I asked angrily.

"Because your stupid mutt will die if you don't get him to one of your healers. Now stop wasting everyone's time and move it!" He turned his attention to the large dog. "Koriju, hit it with another blast of cold fusion!" He demanded. A large beam of cold energy blasted from the four heads of the dragon, pushing the Cerberus back.

I looked at Viz. "Can you walk?" I asked him.

"I... I don't know...My legs are pretty messed up right now…" Viz said.

"...Fine, I'll just carry you then. Go back to normal size." I told him.

Once he was back to his original length, I scooped him up and ran him over to Isabel. "Yo Izzy, I need you to work your lovely magic on Viz real quick." She nodded and did as I asked. "Thank you…" I looked at Viz for a brief moment. "Listen to me Viz. As soon as your healed, I want you to come and back me up."

"Where the hell are you going?" He asked.

"I'm gonna go kill the red asshat once and for all!" I said before sprinting through the crowds of enemies. I charged through and stopped in front of my target.

"Welcome back, kid." Tomix said with a smirk.

"How's your mutt doing?" The red man asked.

"Don't worry about him. I'm the one you're about fight!" I said as I narrowed my eyes. "Fanny Pack style!" I reached my hands through the portal and pulled out a black sword that was twice my length and width. "Lend me your power, Black Inertia!" I viciously swung the large blade, effectively pushing him back with a black slash of energy.

"One of the forbidden swords of the Aether Realm. How cute…" Schepulturath said. He brought out his red demon sword and ran at me.

I brought back my giant blade and swung it forcefully. More black slashes of dark energy flew towards Schepulturath. He simply just cut through them with his sword and thrusted the tip of his blade at me. I proceeded to lift my blade in front of me, shielding me from the potentially fatal blow.

"I won't let you stand in my way! I will avenge my kingdom!" I said through grit teeth.

"Your father has fallen to my blade before and so will his son!" Schepulturath spun his sword and sent me a vicious upward slice. His attack knocked my weapon outta my hands, leaving me vulnerable to the harsh stab through my midsection. I gasped as the blade pierced through my body. I dropped to my knees once he yanked the sword out. I let out a pain filled yell of agony when he stabbed my hand. "I'll never understand what my daughter saw in you…"

"F...Fuck…you...You killed her…She... didn't deserve to die…" I said through pained grunts.

"Speaking of death...Give your father my condolences…" He said with a chuckle. He began to lift his sword. A sinister, red aura surrounded the legendary blade of hell. "NOW DIE!"

I clenched my eyes shut awaiting for my fate. This was it for me and I was ready to admit it. " At least I'll see you again Maddie…Same with you father..." I muttered as I awaited my death. Only thing was, it never came. After feeling something wet on my face, I decided to open my eyes and to my own shock and horror, I saw Eliza with the sword In her chest. "W...What are you doing?!"

"Get the hell up...The fights not over yet kiddo!" She said before dropping to the floor in front of me. I stared at her with tears in my eyes. I kept looking at her corpse until finally…

"Heheheheheh…" I started chuckling.

"Something funny about watching your loved ones perish?" Schepulturath asked, slightly amused.

"Hahahahahahahaha." I began laughing a little louder.

"Shiro…" I could hear my various allies calling to me with concern. I know they looked on with worry but I didn't care.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" I busted out laughing. With each fit of laughter, more and more fresh tears fell down my face.

"Hmm...Shall I put you to rest now? Or do you wish to continue your laughing?" Schepulturath asked.

I looked at him with a crooked smile. I could see the purple aura surrounding me. "Laughing…Don't worry... I'm done laughing... All I wanna do now is kill you...and trust me... I WILL!"

I saw three shadows surround me. "You talk a big game. Can you back it up?!" One of the figures said with a girly giggle.

"..." I didn't feel like talking anymore. I wanted people to suffer.

"You think you're hot shit?! We are the ShadowGun Trio! We kill anyone that-"

~ ** _WHAM_** ~

The man that was formerly talking had finally managed to shut the hell up. It only took my fist being lodged in his chest. I ripped my bloody hand from the now dead shadow assassin and glared at the other two. Both tried to run at me and hit me with a team attack.

"You will pay for slaying our brother!" The female shouted.

"..." I remained silent. I simply slipped both of their respective attacks. I spun around on my heel and literally kicked one of their heads off. Blood spewed from the open neck of my second victim. I stared at the last one. It was the female of the three. She gave me a look of horror as she slowly walked back when I stepped forward.

"Please! Let me go!" She begged.

"..." I vanished behind her. My crooked smile still on my face. I covered her mouth from behind and widened my broken smile. "...Now you die…" I snapped her neck in an instant. I let her body collapse to the floor. I looked over to Schepulturath and pointed to him. "I wanna kill YOU first…" I muttered.

"And how do you plan to achieve such an out of reach goal-" I cut him off by vanishing I front of him.

"By shoving that blade up your ass…" I said dangerously.

~ ** _WHAM_** ~

I punched him so hard that he unintentionally slammed into Tomix. The purple aura began to intensify and it also darkened.

"Ah...So this is what it took to create Metagenesis. How interesting…" The red man said with a grin.

"See. I told you we just had to kill the right person." Tomix said with a chuckle.

"Bastards! All of you! You're Nothing but dead BASTARDS!!!" I let loose the negative soul energy that was inside of me. "I'll annihilate each and every single one of you motherfuckers!" A brutal whirlwind swirled around the entire area. The ground began to tremble and split apart.

"Shiro stop! You'll tear apart the planet!" Gabby yelled as she ran over towards me. She grabbed a hold of my left arm in hopes of calming me down. Unfortunately that only ended making me more angry. I forcefully swatted her away with strength that I was unable to control. She was sent back a couple of feet. I knew I knocked her unconscious and part of me felt really regretful.

I saw that Zero had ran up to her with a look of panic on his face. He shielded her along with himself by using a large wall of ice.

"Damn...damn...DAMN!!!" I shouted while clutching my aching head. "I gotta stop…I gotta kill... I have to stop...I have to kill…" like a broken record, I began to repeat those words.

"He's losing his freaking mind." Tomix muttered with a grin.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" I let out an aggravatingly painful yell. The purple aura that surrounded my began to form and manifest into a being that was shaped like me. Though we shared similar features, some things were different. For starters, his hair was white and his eyes were a dark purple. His skin was also paler than mine.

"And there it is! The new Metagenesis of this age!" The man in red said.

I stared at the other version of myself. He looked back at me with a malicious grin. I could tell, right off the bat that he was ridiculously powerful. It was legitimately terrifying.

"Have a nice day…" He muttered to me before knocking me out with a deep punch to the gut. My entire body shut down and I blacked out.

-PRESENT-

(SHIRO'S POV)

We had finally made it to the top of the mountain and I gotta say, it was nice up here. I loved the view. My future self was wrapping up his long ass story.

"That was the hardest punch that I had ever received in my entire life." Tatsu said.

"I just wanna know who that Zero guy is." Gabby asked.

"I bet he's an ass crack." I said.

"That he is…" Tatsu said.

We set up camp over by a flat slab of rock. The thin air at the high altitude made breathing quite difficult for us but we bared with it. Tatsu and Eliza decided to start my rigorous training right away. Gabby was in the background training with Viz, though it seemed more like they were playing.

"You'll start with physical body conditioning. After that, you'll work on trying to suppress that negative soul energy and turn it into positive soul energy." Tatsu said.

"...Ok…" I groaned. I already knew that this was gonna suck.

"Well, get to it then! You know the deal! Ten thousand push ups." Eliza said.

"Yes ma'am!" I said with a mock salute before I dropped to the floor and started my tiring excercise.


	22. What Became of Us

(SHIRO'S POV)

"BODY DON'T FAIL ME NOW!" I hissed. I could feel my muscles contracting in an aggressive manner.

"C'mon kid! Push yourself!" Eliza shouted.

"I'm...Trying!" I growled.

"HURRY UP! Finish this and you'll be done for the day!" Tatsu said.

I grit my teeth and continued to push harder against the ground. Gabby and Viz were both cheering me on as I neared the end of my final rep.

"You got this Shiro!" Gabby said.

"I'm...DONE!" I said with new found pride in myself.

"Great job on the push ups kid! You ready for dinner?" Eliza asked.

"I would love to eat right now but I kinda have a two ton rock on my back." I said with sweat dripping down my face.

"Alright you big baby. Hang on. I got it." Gabby chuckled. With one arm, she easily lifted the large rock off of my back and threw it to the side like it was a small pebble.

I collapsed to the floor and began panting heavily. "Aw geez... I'm exhausted…" I muttered as I laid down on my back. "Damn! I never thought that push ups could suck that bad. Eliza...You are one cruel lady." My mentor smirked at me.

Gabby kneeled down next to me and giggled. "You know that you're training with me tomorrow, right?"

"I don't care if you make me swim across hot lava. I trust you way too much." I said to her.

She pecked my forehead and helped me to my feet. I could see my future self watching us from the corner of my eye. "Yeah... I'm pretty sure you won't be so eager tomorrow…"

"...Why is that..?" I asked with a nervous chuckle.

"Ah it's nothing really... I'm sure you'll be able to handle it." She said.

"Shit…" I muttered.

After we set up a small campfire and caught a couple of fish, we decided to just sit around and tell stories. Gabby was currently talking about her times in HazenReach.

"I never used to understand why HazenReach was so divided. I mean, I lived in the lower parts of the large kingdom with my parents. Tazorac lived next door with his wife and kid. I used to visit every weekend and sometimes after school. My aunt would make some of the best peach cobbler." Gabby spoke to us.

"Damn... I never had that before." I said, wondering. "I usually ate the fancy shit in the palace, or the crummy ass prison food in jail…"

"Well I mostly filled up on squirrels and deer. You know… Whatever me and Haruka could get a hold of." Viz said.

"How DID you meet Haruka?" I asked.

"I tried to...you know kill him, but boy did that plan fail." The wolf said.

"What the heck happened?"

"Long story short, I was a stray BattleBeast that tried to prove myself to others like me. You see, I was nothing but a useless Omega in one of the more agressive wolf pacts. I was laughed at and pretty much seen as a joke to my pack. One night, I decided to go out and find a strong opponent so that I could increase my strength in order to best my Alpha in combat. I just so happened to stumble into it one of the strongest men on the planet. I attacked, he kicked my ass and then decided to spare my life. He used some sort of sealing ability that bound me to a contract in order to help me grow. Said contract in now in the hands of the world's biggest jackass." Viz said.

"Hey!" Both me and my future self shouted.

"One day, I'll find my old pack and show them all who's boss. I'm glad I left... though I did leave behind one person when Haruka took me under his wing." Viz continued.

"Was it your little, mutt girlfriend?" I asked with a grin.

"First of all, she was a wild cat, and second of all, I never got to tell her how I really felt about her…" Viz said with a downcast expression.

"...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" I began laughing my ass off.

"Shiro?!" Gabby and Eliza said with shock.

"This little pup fell for a freaking cat!" I said cracking up. "And you say that I have no taste?!"

"Fuck you beta male!" The wolf snarled.

"I think I'm crying! I GOTTA PEE!!!" I said through gasps. Vizeron growled, jumped on me and sank his sharp teeth into my bicep. I yelled in pain as I attempted to vigorously shake the mutt off of my arm. "OW!!! Fuck off you little shit rag!"

After getting Viz off of me and cleaning my fresh new wound, we all went back to sitting at the campfire and telling each other more stories. Given Viz's slight aggravation, we decided to switch to Tatsu. Eliza suggest that he give us more future stories so he decided to tell us more about how he ended up in our timeline.

"Well I guess that I could start from when I got back from my three year trip from the Nether Realm. I was twenty one at the time and I had decided to go and visit one of my masters in hopes of restoring some of my lost abilities. As you guys know, I lost some of my most powerful tools for combat. As of now, I'm at about forty percent of my true strength. One of my most crippling loses, was the loss of the Seven Deadly Sins style. I had learned that ability by training with the princess of hell. She was a great teacher and a great… friend…" He said.

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"Her father Schepulturath killed her in cold blood…That bastard…" He growled.

"Damn... Schepulturath even goes as far as to kill his own daughter?! What the fuck is with that guy?" I said.

"It's my fault she was killed. I said some things that I shouldn't have. Her father was planning on forcing her into something that she wasn't ready for. He wanted her to marry the son of Lucifer. I spoke out of term and convinced her that she should make her own decisions…" Tatsu said.

"You were trying to help her. I wouldn't ever want to be in her position." Gabby said.

"I keep telling myself that...but the pain never manages to go away." Tatsu shook his head. "I'm rambling now. Let me get back to the actual story." He cleared his throat and stared at the fire in front of us. "I had gotten back from the Nether Realm feeling much more disdain than before. I was angry and I wasn't afraid to show it. I began to distance myself from people. All of my friends... I cut them all off. I had to find a way to beat the other half and I was willing to do anything in order to build up my strength for that fateful day. I had to build up my skills. Unfortunately, while I was attempting to reforge myself, Metagenesis was quickly beginning his plan to eradicate the Earth's population."

-Future Flashback-

(FUTURE SHIRO'S POV)

The Griescayle Isle. It was peaceful. The sounds of roaring water filled my ears as I meditate in front of the waterfall. The wind blowing through my hair causing my brown locks to sway with a melodic rhythm that kept me at ease. It was simply peaceful in this beautiful setting of nature. Though I wasn't truly at peace. Regardless of my current habitat, my other self is still out there with the red man and Schepulturath. I could hear the subtle sounds of people fleeing in terror. I know that he's the cause of their suffering...but I can't save them from any of it. That fact killed me. It really did. I hated not knowing what to do. I hated feeling so helpless. Knowing that it was a part of me that was murdering millions of innocent, defenseless people both old and young pained me to the core. I needed a solution and I needed one fast!

~ ** _CAAAAAWWW_** ~

The shrieking sound of a birds cry filled my ears. My eyes snapped open to see a large hawk circling me. I narrowed my eyes and stared at the creature. The bird descended to me. It had a scroll in its talons. I knew right away who's this bird was.

"Atmus? What are you doing here?" I asked the winged creature.

"Master Yukio sends an urgent message." The bird said. I took the scroll and opened. I read the message that was intended for me to receive.

 _Word is, you're back from your trip._

 _Isabel and I insist that you join us for dinner tonight._

 _It would be a pleasure to see you once again my friend._

 _Please do consider stopping by._

 _You know where to find us._

 _-Clyde Isabel Yukio_

I stared at the message with a stone cold expression. I wanted to come but I just couldn't understand how they could be so casual about this, what with Metagenesis roaming the planet. We are all in mortal danger right now.

"..." I was stuck in thought.

"It would truly please Master Yukio and Lady Isabel if you came. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. It would be little to no trouble at all." The bird said.

"It's not that. It's not that at all. I know they mean well but I just don't know if this is the time for that." I said.

"It's only for one night. It wouldn't hurt to at least stop by. I am well informed that you have no place to sleep tonight either. They have also set up sleeping quarters for you as well." Atmus continued.

"... I'm only stopping by. I'm not planning on staying the night or anything." I said.

Atmus nodded. The bird flew around me and in seconds, I was teleported to a modest size home that was next to a crystal blue lake. "Here we are Mr. Shiro." Atmus said.

I walked over to the door and looked at it. I sighed and knock on it. Within seconds, the door flung open and on the other side was my blonde haired friend and longtime rival.

"Well well well...if it isn't Shiro. Goddamn! How ya been man?!" Clyde asked with a grin.

"I'm uh... I'm hanging in there you know." I said while rubbing the back of my neck.

"Please do come in." Clyde said. I stepped inside of the tidy home. I instinctively removed my shoes at the door before proceeding inside. Clyde walked me all over, showing me a small tour of the house. He was happy. That's a happiness that was hard to find these days. "So what happened during your three year trip to the Nether Realm?" Clyde asked, enthusiastically.

"Well to be honest, it was kind of a waste. I had no means of getting back my powers. Hell all I managed to do was find out how many more souls ended up there." I said back with a bit more irritation than I meant to. "Heheheh, enough about me though. It's been three years. I hope you and the misses been holding up?" I asked.

"I know times are real bad right now, but Isabel and I have been holding onto hope. Negativity is the last thing that we need right now. Hell, when did pessimism ever really help?" He said with a small smile. "Regardless of the situation I'm happy with my life. I'll do whatever I can to protect them..."

"Them..?" I said with a questioning tone.

We ended up walking to the dining room. Clyde had gestured me to have a seat at one of the end chairs. I complied with his wishes and took a seat admiring the decor of the place. I can hear the sound of someone slowly coming down the stairs from the second floor.

"Ah there she is! My beautiful wife!" Clyde exclaimed.

I turned back to see Isabel standing at the entryway to the dining room. Her curly lavender hair was cut neck length. She was wearing a loose blue sundress. The thing that caught me off guard was her enlarged stomach.

"Hello Shiro." She said with a soft smile.

"Hey...Izzy... You... Your gut…" I began to trail off.

"That's right Shiro...She pregnant! I'm gonna be a father." Clyde said with a smile.

"Wow... Congrats you guys. I'm happy for you two." I said with a slight grin. "When are you expecting?" I asked.

"In about a week from now. I'm so excited!" Isabel said gleefully.

"You guys thought of any names yet?"

"Yes actually." Isabel said. "If it's a boy, we'll name him Aruome."

"If it's a girl, then we'll name her Xenovia." Clyde said.

"You two really did look up to your mentors." I said. It was no surprise that they'd name their kids after their mentors.

"Amora raised me and showed me what it meant to heal instead of to hurt. I am forever grateful for her wisdom." Izzy said.

"I will never forget Xena's teachings. She took a chance with me and I refuse to let her knowledge go to waste. She was more of a mother to me than my actual one." Clyde said.

"I feel you on that one man." I said to him.

"Well I better go get the food set up." Isabel said.

"Please dear, let me handle that." Clyde said.

"I'll help as well. I'd hate to be an inconvenience to you both." I said.

"You two can settle down. I can handle this on my own." Izzy said with confidence. She really has changed since she and Clyde tied the knot. I'm glad.

Once the food was finished we all sat and ate together. Isabel's cooking was as good as I remembered. Eating her food was bringing me back to the good old days when life was simpler. I enjoyed this moment of tranquility. It was nice to see my friends. These are two people that I could trust and to see them happy right now filled me with everlasting joy. Though it was only a matter of time before this would all go away.

"Hey Shiro, I wanna show you something as soon as I finish clearing the table." Clyde said.

"I hope it's not dessert because I'm stuffed." I said holding my stomach.

"No it's not that. It's outside." Clyde said chuckling.

"You two boys don't worry about the table. I'll take care of it. "Isabel said.

"Honey, are you sure. I don't want you to over exhaust yourself." Clyde said with concern.

Isabel pecked his cheek. "I'll survive. Now, you two head out and enjoy yourselves. You're best friends and it's been three long years. Go catch up on old times." She said to him. "We'll be waiting here when you get back." She rubbed her stomach.

"Alright…" Clyde kissed her cheek. He then kneeled down and kissed her round stomach. "I love you both. Be safe." He said.

After his interaction with his wife, Clyde and I headed out of the house. We walked through the forest to the nearby lake. The moon shined brightly against the clear water. Clyde and I sat down by the water staring out at the lake.

"I just can't believe it. I'm really going to be a dad! When Isabel first told me I was overcome with joy but now that we're expecting in a week I'm a little nervous. Truth is Shiro… I'm scared." Clyde said.

I was surprised by his words. I wasn't sure how this was supposed to feel. The hell would I know about being a father. It was strange and a little unsettled to think of bringing new life into the world. This must be tearing apart on the inside. Another mouth to feed, another head to protect. I bet that it is overwhelming.

"Clyde… You're like the smartest guy I know. You're always confident and prepared for anything. Not to mention you're like one of the strongest guys I know. Pretty sure being the second strongest user of magic has its own set of perks." I said with a smirk. "My point is, you'll be a great dad. If anyone's going to have that role, it's you. Plus, if it's any consolation, you've got Isabel. She's like the best woman to have as a mom." I said to him.

He grinned at that. "Yeah I guess…"

"You know despite everything that's happening, I have faith that you guys will make it as a family." I said.

"Heheheh...Yeah man…I sure do hope so." He said.

"Trust me. You two have been alright for this long. What's a few more years?" I said with a sad smile. I looked at him. He gave me sad expression. "What's wrong?"

"Well...You know how I've been...Now tell me your side of the story. I know what happened between you and Gabby... I'm really sorry about that Shiro… Izzy and I should have been more considerate. I'm pretty sure our display of affection didn't help ease your pain." Clyde said sadly.

"Meh, don't you worry about me. I'm happy for you two. It's about time someone was happy in this world. I wish you and your family well. No point in letting me drag you guys down. My problems are my own and I'll face them myself." I said seriously.

"DAMNIT SHIRO! You don't get it! We're your friends. We don't want to see you hurt. We share a fraction of that pain. When you're feeling down, then we feel down with you. We want to make sure that you're okay. It's been rough for you. You been trying so hard to find a solution so this Metagenesis problem. Literally been bearing this whole burden on your own shoulders and that's not fair for you. You need help and we wanna give that to you but you have to let us. I know it's hard going through what you are right now. You've lost your powers, lost your partner and to top it all off, you lost your girlfriend. All of this in span of a few years. Isabel and I rarely see you anymore. Just last month Gabby and Zero came to see us and during the whole reunion that we had, all we could think about was where you were." Clyde spoke with intense emotion.

"..." I was speechless.

"I still care about you dude. Even her and Zero to an extent. We want to help you but we just don't know how. Help us help you." Clyde said.

"... I'm sorry...but I can't...not yet at least. I still need time to reflect. To be alone with my demons. Losing Eliza was one thing… losing Vizeron was another… All I want is for this to stop. I want the killing to end, I want the pain to just go away. I want to fix this but I can't… I FUCKING CAN'T!!!" I yelled. I wanted to cry so badly… but I couldn't.

"Shiro…" Clyde muttered.

"I can't... Truth is... I'm fucking scared! More and more people are dying and I can't stop it! I'm afraid of losing more people. I'm afraid of losing you guys. Losing Viz hurt… It hurt real bad...I wanted to save him so badly...but I couldn't do it. In that moment of weakness, I crumbled. I can't handle much more of this Clyde… I'm a broken man… A man slowly losing his will to live. I can't even cry anymore Clyde. I know I'm beyond depressed but for whatever reason, I just can't shed a single tear anymore."

"... Listen Shiro... You've got a lot on your plate...so I'll tell you what I think will be the best option. Gain some closure. You need to go talk to Gabriella and Zero and come to terms with the way life is now. Once you've done that much, I would recommend that you regain control of your powers and find yourself. After you've done that, decided on whether or not you want to settle down with another lucky soul or fly solo. Either way, as long as it's the choice that you're comfortable with, than it's the one that will suit you." Clyde said.

"That makes sense I guess... I'll look into it." I said.

"It's up to you, buddy." Clyde picked himself up off of the ground. "It's hard to believe this is where I proposed to her… Time flies Shiro…"

"...It sure does." I said. I got up from the grass and stared up at the moon.

"You're welcome to stay the night at our house if you'd like. I'm pretty sure a bed is nicer than a cave." Clyde said.

"No it's fine. I appreciate the offer but, I think I'm going to hit the road." I told him. He gave a slightly disappointed look.

"Are you sure. If you're worried that you're imposing, it's no trouble at all-"

"It's not that. I've got a lot to take care of. I only came for a visit." I said to him.

"Oh...Okay then." He lifted his hand. I turned around and shook it. "Don't be a stranger. We're your friends so try to keep us updated from time to time."

"Got it. I'll see you guys soon. Give Izzy my regards and let me know how the baby is." I said to him.

Clyde nodded. "I will. Take care of yourself, Shiro." He said.

"You to Clyde." I said back while flashing him a grin.

-Present-

"That was the last time I ever saw the Clyde of my time alive." I said to the group. Gabby had long since fallen asleep with Viz. That only left Eliza and young Shiro.

"What happened to him?" The younger me asked.

"From what Atmus told me, Metagenesis found their home, killed Isabel and their unborn child while Clyde was out communicating with Dex. He would soon face his worst nightmare when he returned home. Clyde stricken with a mixture of grief and unbridled rage, sought after his family's murderer…He didn't have to look far. Metagenesis was waiting for him inside of a wasteland near his house. Clyde fought with all of his might but only ended up being decimated by my evil half." I told them.

"God damn…That's terrible…" Eliza said with a horrified expression.

"What the hell is up with that guy? He really killed Izzy and her unborn kid?!" Young Shiro asked. I simply nodded.

"From here, things only manage to get even worse." I said.

-Future Flashback-

I sighed as I read the sign. "...Frost Park…" I muttered. I slammed my fist against my chest, effectively stopping my heart. I blacked out for a split second before I snapped back to reality with my Vengeance Suit on. I trudged through the thick white snow. If it weren't for my suit, I would have froze to death in this blizzard. I continued to make my way up the snowy mountain, through deep and dense mist until I reached a large castle made completely out of solid ice. Before I could even knock, four knights made of ice emerged from the snow and surrounded me with icy spears.

"Are you serious? I don't have time for this." I grumbled.

"State your business in Frost Park!" One of them said.

"GODDAMNIT! Zero, it's me, Shiro!" I shouted at the castle.

"Last warning! State your-"

~ ** _SWOOSH_** ~

I swung my Scythe of Vengeance and shattered all four of the guards. "Open...The FUCKING...Door!" I shouted.

The large ice doors swung open. Walking towards me was none other than Zero himself. He slid over to me and on sight, narrowed his eyes at me. "Tatsugami...What brings you to my frosty fortress?"

"Cut the bullshit! You know exactly why I'm here. Or at least your... your…" I couldn't finish the sentence for the life of me.

"My wife, my lover...my Gabby." He finished for me.

"Fuck you." I said to him.

"Sorry but I'm a married man." He said back.

"...You know what... I'm not gonna even gonna swing. I want to, but that's beneath me." I said. "I need to talk to Gabriella."

"We were about to have brunch. I can slide you a strip of bacon before you go." He said.

"Fuck your brunch, fuck your bacon, and fuck YOU!" I snapped.

"Why so hostile, friend?" He asked.

"I swear to every god if you don't let me in, I will literally dice your ass and feed you to that bastard ass Hydra." I hissed.

"Jealousy is a terrible thing Shiro." He said.

"...You know what…Ghost style!" I shouted. I phased through the cold asshole and stepped inside.

"Hey!" Zero shouted.

"Gabby!" I called out to her. On instinct, she ran down the huge flight of stairs with a silk, red gown on. Seeing her automatically brought up old feelings. It hurt me to see her. I didn't want to be here but I had to honor Clyde's words.

"Shiro?" She said my name with that sexy, mature voice that I wished I could hear more often.

"...Hey Gabby…" I said awkwardly, while getting out of ghost style.

Without warning, she hugged me tightly. My heart raced instantly. I haven't felt her touch in years. I missed her so much. I hated being so distant from her. Hell, it was distance that split us up in the first place. I loved her but I had to make sacrifices. Ones that would haunt me for the rest of my days on Earth.

"How have you been?" She asked me.

"I don't even know…" I said, unable to fully return the hug.

"Please, sit down. Make yourself comfortable while I make us all some tea." She said.

I took a seat on the soft couch. The truth was, I couldn't ever be comfortable. I was quite tense these days. I wasn't sure how to go about my current life choices. Being here only exposed my current flaws even more so. I wanted to leave but I have to trust in Clyde's advice. If I'm going to move past this and become a stronger person, then I have to end this suffering. I need to push past this built up angst. Our love for each other has dwindled and though I might have recurring feelings, I know that I've lost her for good.

Zero walked over to the white love seat and sat down. He looked at me with his usual cold stare. "Seriously though, why are you all the way out here? Why would you want to visit us now of all times." He asked.

"I got some shit to say that I should've said earlier in life. You know, before I left for my trip. I wanted to state my piece before I was too late." I told him.

He kept his chilling expression but nodded with approval. "I see…"

My gaze faltered and I stared quietly at the coffee table in front of me. Gabby had returned with a tray of tea cups and a kettle. She poured Zero a cup of Earl Grey with two sugar cubes and a squeeze of lemon.

"Here you go Zero." She said with a soft smile.

Zero gave her a smile that I didn't think was possible to come from him. "Thank you, dearest." He said to her.

"Shiro what kind of tea would you like?" She asked. I have Earl grey, chai, green, peppermint…Uh Shiro?"

I hadn't noticed that I was staring at the floor with a forlorn look on my face. I was distant and I didn't even realize it. "Huh? Oh uh...Green tea is cool with me." I said.

She handed me a cup and moved to sit with Zero. "So what brings you here Shiro?" She ask.

"... I'm assuming that you don't know what happened to Clyde and Isabel." I said.

"Are they ok? How's the baby?" Gabby asked.

"They were killed. Metagenesis got a hold of them. He murdered Isabel and their unborn kid. When Clyde went out to avenge his family he died as well." I said with a dark tone.

"... They're dead? That can't be right. I thought that Clyde would've at least been able to hold his own against him. If he died then what's next?!" Gabby exclaimed. Tears were beginning to streaming down her flushed cheeks. Zero consoled her as he gently wrapped his arms around her. Oh, how I wished it was me.

"I buried the two of them a few days ago, outside their house after I found their bodies. It was nerve wracking to say the least...Bad news aside, I didn't come here to say any of this. That was only a heads up. My other self is sure to come after you two as well. Luckily this place is hidden in the mist so it is quite hard to locate without prior knowledge." I said.

"That it is." Zero said.

"What I'm really here for… Is to say… congratulations." I said.

"... Congratulations?" Gabby repeated with slight confusion.

"You two are happy together, right?" I asked in a bittersweet tone.

They looked at each other and smiled. "Yes. Yes we are." Zero spoke.

"Then take pride in that fact. Not many people can say that they have someone to love... Especially during situations like the one we're in now. You two are strong. The strongest on the planet aside from me. You have each other to take care of so… Watch each other's backs." I said.

"...Shiro." Zero started. "For what it's worth... I'm sorry for… well you know…"

"I get it. Just keep her happy and keep her safe. That's all I can ask for at this point." I said to him. I stared at my undrunk tea. I looked at my reflection before my eyes snapped open. My other self stared back at me with his sadistic eyes.

 **I FOUND YOU!**

I dropped the cup to the floor, shattering it to pieces. "Oh shit!" I shouted.

"What's the matter?!" Gabby asked.

"He's here! He knows where we are! He's fucking coming!" I said with panic.

"That's not possible! How could he find us so easily?!" Zero asked.

"I don't know, but we need to get ready for a fight. If we attack together then we might just be able to kill him, or at least keep him away." I said.

"So you're going to stay and fight with us?" Zero asked.

"I couldn't live with myself if I ran away and didn't help you guys. I already lost three friends to that sack of shit. You two are all that I've got left." I said.

"Alright then. I'll go wake up Koriju." Zero said.

"I'll get myself equipped." Gabby said.

I stared outside of the window. I looked to see dark storm clouds coming our way."Hurry up you two. We don't have much time." I said to them.

After some time went by, we all waited outside of the castle. I stared at Metagenesis as he began to come closer and closer into view. He was approaching fast and we all had to work up the nerve to face him. Deep down inside, I had a feeling that this would only end in tragedy.

Metagenesis stopped directly in front of us. His white hair flowing in the cold wind. His baggy, black pants swayed and the purple tattoos on his open torso glowed and pulsated. A wicked smirk plastered on his face. His purple eyes were showing only the most cruel and sadistic expression. "Shiro, Gabriella and Zero… How's life treating you?" He asked.

"What do you want?!" Zero asked boldly.

Metagenesis glared at him. "Hmm… I have quite a bone to pick with your ass, Zero." He hissed with a venomous tone. "But before that, I need to converse with my… lesser half."

"Fuck you too…" I said.

"So tell me, how much stronger have you gotten since we last met?" He asked.

"Not sure... Never really got a chance to let loose." I snapped back at him with confidence.

"Is that so? Now I'm curious. I just got done slaughtering the Greek gods. Totally banged the shit outta Aphrodite and Athena. You know how it is. Had to display my godly might, ya dig?" He said as if he were sizing me up.

"... I'm gonna enjoy seeing you die." I said to him.

"You and I both know that you will never see that day. I'm the god of the gods. I can't be stopped. I get more and more powerful every day. This is power that no amount of meaningless training can get you. This is the power of he who takes what he wants...and after I kill you, I'll take that time manipulation shit that you have. It'll be great seeing every timeline worship me. I'll be the known throughout all of history!"

"That won't happen. Even if you do kill me, you won't be able to use chronomancy the way I could before. You see, after you split from me, all of my power got reset. Some of my skills were locked and will never return. Chronomancy for me, was reset and locked for you. Not only do I have to retain my skill with it but you'd also never be able to wield it as your own ability." I said.

He glared at me. His teeth grit in anger. "I assure you... I WILL find another way." His fist began to glow purple.

~ ** _WHAM_** ~

Spit flew from my mouth as I dropped to my knees. I held my aching stomach as pain surged throughout my body.

"Shiro!" Gabby shouted.

"Lay there and think about how much of an ass you are." He said to me with a smirk.

"P…pr...Prick…" I murmured.

"Ah, there it is. That classic Shiro vocabulary." He chuckled.

"Koriju, blast his ass!" Zero shouted.

A large beam of cold energy slammed into Metagenesis, pushing him back. We all thought that it had worked until he absorbed the beam into the palm of his hands. "And now it's my turn." He held his hands out and pushed a blast forward, slamming into Zero. Zero stood there and shrugged off the attack.

"Next time, try to hit me with something a little hotter." Zero said, clearly unaffected by the counter blast.

"Hot you say? I got just the thing. You can thank Clyde for this one." He cupped his hands. A small, bright, orange orb of light swirled around. "Ward of Flames: Blazing Inferno!" He launched the fiery blast forward towards Zero.

"Dodge and send off two more blasts." Zero commanded.

The Hydra nodded all four of its heads and flew around, barely avoiding the flaming attack. While this was going on, Gabby had been trying to get me back to my feet. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I was stumbling around still trying to gain bearings. The moment I got up, a shockwave sent me flying back to the snowy ground.

Gabby looked up to see Zero barely holding his own in the sky. She looked at me and sighed. "I gotta go help Zero. He needs me right now. Are you gonna be okay?" She asked.

"I'll be fine. Just go already." I said dismissively.

She jumped up off of the ground and sent Metagenesis flying with a punch to his jaw. He slammed down into the snow and glared up at her. "If you wanted to die all you had to do was ASK!" He forced her away with a blast of soul energy. She slammed harshly against the wall of the ice castle.

"Gabby! You motherfucker!" Zero yelled with aggravation as he began to give off a white aura. "Koriju blast his ass, straight to hell!" The frost Hydra charged up an enormous blast of cold fusion in all of its heads.

"I've been there already...Not too impressed, I must say." He said with a smirk.

"Do it now!" Zero demanded. All four heads blasted simultaneously, creating a large super beam that flew towards Metagenesis.

"That's more like it!" The huge blast collided with him. He was engulfed in the blue tsunami of cold fusion. As the blast faded, Zero was left in shock as Metagenesis stared at him with a devilish smirk. He was completely unfazed by the blast.

"So you wanna try that again..? If not, then I think I'll just…" He vanished and reappeared in front of one of the four heads. In the blink of an eye, one of the heads shattered soon followed by the rest. Zero was left in state of shock. He couldn't believe what had happened. He grit his teeth at the loss of his BattleBeast.

"You just made a big mistake!" He growled.

"Oh, do go on. Your anger is quite thrilling to see." My other self spoke with a mocking tone.

"Shut up!" Zero shouted as he sent small, sharp shards of ice towards his opponent.

"This again?! Oh boy, you are making some bold decisions right now." Metagenesis smirked. The shards of ice shattered as they made impact with his skin. "How does it feel to know that your utterly powerless against me?" He asked as he walked forward, ignoring the shower of ice shards. "Why don't you use that other form? You know, when you turn all batshit crazy. I mean, it won't do you any good but it'll at least serve as something else that I can toy with for a bit before I kill you." He stopped right in front of him. "C'mon… Make something happened…" He gripped up Zero by the throat. "Don't tell me you're all out of will to fight. I expected better from your frosty ass."

"...You ain't shit... You're gonna die one day… I know now that I can't beat you...but I'll be damned if I let you humiliate me! I know when I'm beaten! I refuse to be your fucking plaything!" Zero snarled.

I had to help him… He was in trouble and I had to help! I used all of my might to pick myself up and glared. I don't know how a singular punch could affect my body like this but it didn't matter. I had to fight him!

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Before I could spring into action, Gabby lunged from the icy wall and charged at Metagenesis. Her longsword grew three sizes and was now a bright red color.

"Interesting…" Metagenesis smirked. Gabby's sword impaled him. Blood spewed from his new wound. He collapsed to the floor as she repeatedly stabbed him in his torso.

"Don't you DARE touch him!" She snarled. Her eyes were as red as the blood staining her blade.

"Gabby…" Zero said in awe.

She kept stabbing him and stabbing him. His blood turned the snow beneath him red. All while he was getting stabbed, Metagenesis was laughing.

"That's right, bitch! Spill my blood all over the place!" He shouted.

"Shut the fuck up!" She screamed. She shoved the blade deep into the laughing bastard. He seized his laughter and laid sprawled out on the snow.

"Is...is it over?" Gabby asked Zero.

"Not yet. I need to make sure he stays dead." Zero said. He walked over to the fallen man and spit on him. "Demented jackass…" He lifted his hand up and aimed at Metagenesis. "Stay dead!"

"...How about NO!" Metagenesis pointed his index finger at Zero and shot a small beam of soul energy through his leg. Zero dropped to the floor and held his leg.

"ZERO!" Gabby shrieked with concern. As she made a move for her fallen spouse, she was shot through her right shoulder. She tumbled to the snow and winced at the pain in her right shoulder.

"And the bitch is down!" He chuckled.

Metagenesis ripped the large sword from his body and crawled off of the floor and sent them and evil grin. "What a lovely sight." He stomped over to Zero and picked him up. "So how'd it feel..?" He asked him.

"What...are you... Talking about?" Zero said. The pain seemed to be setting in.

"How'd it feel to know that you had my sloppy seconds?" He placed a hand on Zero's chest.

"Fuck you! I love her and she loves me!" Zero yelled.

Purple energy swirled around Metagenesis. Purple static formed around his hand. "I used to say the same thing…"

"KYAH!" I drove my foot across his face sending him flying into a mountain in the distance. I plopped down on the snow with Zero. "You good?" I said.

"Y...yeah...What the hell took you so long?!" Zero asked me.

"Sorry. My body ain't exactly working right at the moment." I said.

"So...That kick actually do anything for us?" Gabby asked while struggling to get up. Zero limped to her aid and propped her up over his shoulder. He froze their respective injuries.

"No. He'll be back...and he's gonna be pissed like shit… You two need to leave." I said to them.

"Hell no! There's no way we're leaving you to fight him alone!" Gabby said.

"I appreciate your concern but you two need to hurry!" I shouted.

"You can't even stand! How do you expect to fight?!" Zero asked.

"I don't… I'll keep him distracted while you two get the hell outta here." I said.

"No way man! I refuse to leave you behind. You helped me. It would be dishonorable if I left you behind." Zero said.

"Same goes for me. What happened between us in the past is irrelevant. Despite everything, you're still one of my best friends." Gabby said.

"Guys... please...just leave…" I said sadly.

"It's too late for that." Metagenesis said with a death glare aimed at me. He sent me a precise beam of energy through my chest. The blast put me down for the count as it pierced my right lung. I gasped for breath as my head slammed into the snow.

"Shiro!" I heard Gabby scream. I couldn't move, I couldn't talk, I couldn't feel and I couldn't breathe. All I could do was sit there and watch as Metagenesis stared down the other two.

"I'd say Jack Frost is next!" My evil self said with malice in his voice.

"You bastard-" The beam passed through his skull. Gabby's eyes widened instantly as Zero dropped down next to me.

Gabby dropped to her knees and sobbed while she held his lifeless corpse in her arms. I wanted to yell. To get him to turn around and target me instead. He thought that I was dead. But the truth was that I wasn't.

"No…" The brown haired woman cried.

"Don't worry Gabriella... You'll be seeing him real soon. You can both spend the rest of your after life together." He said.

"Why are you doing this? Tell me why?!" Gabby asked.

"It's simple... I was created by the hatred that laid deep within Shiro's heart. I am the physical personification of his hidden rage. Because of that, I was made to kill those that brought him pain." He said.

"Why attack the innocent, then? Why hurt the kids and elders? Why attack his friends?!" Gabby continued.

"The evils of the Earth feed my passion to kill. The only solution is to create a new start. Once I'm done with the Earth, I'll destroy the Nether Realm, then the Aether Realm! After all that, I'll create an ideal universe. One that would eliminate the hatred from Shiro Tatsugami." He said.

"... You're... you're insane." Gabby mumbled.

"It's time. You may now have my permission to die, Gabriella. Say hello to the other Shiro for me." He said before blasting a beam through her skull. He flung her body to the ground next to Zero. All I could do was look at their dead bodies. Metagenesis smirked at his work and blasted of into the sky.

-Present-

"I would've died had it not been for my Vengeance Suit. My suits healing factor kicked in and restored my vitals. Without it I'd of died long ago." I said. At this point, Eliza was the only one who was awake.

"That's some heavy shit… Are you okay?" She asked me.

"I failed in one timeline. I won't fail in this one." I said to her.

"It's amazing how much you've really grown. Looking at you and your younger self, you're both completely different." She said.

"I suffered through some dark times. I'm here now and I swear that I'm gonna change things. I'll protect everyone! Especially you." I said before getting up and walking over towards a good sleeping space. I laid down on a patch of grass. As I looked up at the sky, I began to get lost in my thoughts. My eyes widened when I felt a weight on my chest. Navy blue hair cam into view. I could feel my heart beating faster.

"I'll protect you too Shiro." She said softly. "So don't worry anymore."

"Eliza..." I muttered.

"Don't worry about the future. You're here now. I won't let anything happen to you." She said.

The images of my timeline's Eliza played through my mind. I missed her and I never wanted her to go. To see her comforting me now was... relaxing. I let myself calm down and for once in a very long time, I wasn't tense.

"Thank you." I said to her as I wrapped my arms around her. "You don't know how much this means to me." I said to her. A single tear fell from my right eye.

"It's okay...Now get some sleep." She said to me.

"Alright... Goodnight..."

-The Next Morning-

I opened my eyes groggily. The sun beat down on my pale face. When I made a move to get up, an odd feeling on my chest. As I make a move to look down, I see a navy blue haired woman sleeping soundly on my chest. My arm was wrapped tightly around her.

I gently nudged her and woke her from her slumber. "Hey, I guess we better go wake the others."

"Huh? Oh, yeah." She said while getting flustered. I'm was a bit embarrassed myself.

We got up and walked over to the rest of our group. Judging by the lack of sun, I was assuming that it was extremely early in the morning. I woke my younger self up with a well placed kick to the ribs. He glared at me as held himself.

"What the hell?!" He asked.

"Get up." I said sternly.

"It's like four in the morning!" He shouted, clearly upset with the fact that he was forced to wake up from his slumbering state.

"Yes...and winners train early in the morning before the losers. Now get up!"

"I hate myself..." He grumbled.


	23. A Little Advice

-5 Months Later-

(SHIRO'S POV)

"KYAH!" I let out a loud shout as I jumped up and threw a midair roundhouse kick to her face. She ducked under it and responded with a quick jab to my cheek. I recovered and faked a jab to her face then threw a cross to her abdomen.

"Not bad." She said. She stepped forward and threw a cross at me. I blocked it but ended taking a kind to the ribs. I grinned at her and sprinted forward. She swung her left fist at me. I ducked under the hit and tackled her to the ground. I pinned her arms above her head and smirked.

"I guess I won this one Gabs. You know what that means." I said before moving my face towards her. I would've kissed her too if she didn't knee me in the freaking nuts. I rolled off of her and held my tender parts. "Shit shit shit! I think I'm about to cough up my balls!"

"Oh would you relax. I barely hit you." She said with a grin.

"You just obliterated whatever kids we were gonna have!" I said with a tear falling down my face.

"What?! You're an idiot." She said as she helped me to my feet.

"Where's Eliza and Tatsu?" I asked.

"They're still sparring." She said.

"Still?! No way. They've been going at it for like three hours now."

We look towards the sky and sure enough, both of the were engaged in close quarters combat. Their attacks were so quick and fluid that you couldn't tell if they were flawed or not. Tatsu was deflecting he strikes and responded with a quick series of rapid kicks. Eliza shrugged them off and punched him straight to the ground. In order to prevent a nasty fall, Tatsu backflipped and landed softly on his feet.

"You're just as good as I remembered." He said.

Eliza landed next to him and chuckled. "Yeah, but something tells me you were holding back."

"Well I do have about ten years of extra experience." He said to her. "Plus I've trained under you before."

"Makes sense." She nodded. "We've been here for quite a while now. You think we should head back?"

"Yeah...I don't see why not." Tatsu said. I sighed knowing that fact that we were done with this.

"Let's get the hell outta here!" I shouted happily.

"Uh...Not you." Eliza said.

"Huh?! Why?" I asked. Eliza looked at the large ten ton rock next to me. "HELL NO! I'm not doing anymore of those back breaking push ups." I said before running off of the side of the mountain.

-At Home-

Tatsu opened the door and watched as I crawled inside. "You only made it harder on yourself by jumping off of a hundred foot mountain."

"Eat shit and die!" I growled at him. "At least I got stronger!" I saw Clyde walking over the a bookshelf and I couldn't wait to talk my shit. "Well...I'm sorry to tell you Clyde, but I'm officially better than you!"

"What are you talking about, you idiot…" Clyde said unamused.

"My level is now 35! Since Gabby's is 40, it looks like you and Izzy got some catching up to do." I said smugly.

His eyebrow twitched for a moment before he shook his head. "...Only 35?"

"What do you mean only 35?!" I asked with annoyance. "Last time we met you were only like level 23!"

"Did you honestly think that I would slack off for five months while you trained it to get stronger?! Don't be such a fool Shiro. I would never let you surpass me." Clyde said before flashing his ID.

My blood ran cold and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. "L...level...46..?! THAT IS SUCH BULLSHIT!!!"

"Oh and Isabel is level 42, so…" Clyde added just to spite me.

"Too strong! Need explanation, NOW!" I shouted.

"It's simple Mages and Healers train through knowledge. When we learn more about our techniques and practice them on a regular basis then we can enhance our skills." Clyde said.

I gripped him by his collar and glared. "So you mean to tell me that while I did all of this back-breaking labor just to train my body to peak physical condition, you read books and still got stronger than me How is that even fair?!"

"Get the hell off of my robe you idiot!" Clyde hissed.

I let go of him and held my glare. "There's gotta be a catch for why you got so strong. What are you planning, Yukio?!"

"If you must know, Tatsugami, there is a tournament being held on Fell-Spire Island. Some of the worlds best mages are going to compete." He said. Judging by the tone of his voice, I could tell that he was leaving out certain details.

"There's more to it than that, isn't there?" I asked him.

"Well...The tournament is being judged by Xena, Xeno, Xeto and…" Clyde began to trail off.

"...And…" I muttered.

"Dex…" He said.

"Really?! This must be intense if he's coming to judge." I said.

"He's not so much a judge as he is more or less the decider. With him watching...the pressure is definitely gonna be overwhelming." Clyde said.

"This is getting me pumped up!" I said with a grin.

"..." Clyde stayed quiet.

"What do you win?" I asked.

"You win only the most essential item in order to boost one's mana capabilities. The Crystalline Mana Star. Only one forms every year. This tournament decides who shall receive it." He said.

"What does it do?" I asked.

Clyde sighed. "It opens up a new pathway for someone's mana. Spells you couldn't use before will be obtainable. With this, I can further speed up the process of my ultimate goal."

"...So if I got it...I could finally start casting spells?" I asked.

"Theoretically speaking...Yes." He said.

"ALRIGHT! I'm in!" I said with a grin.

"Unfortunately for you, this is a mage's tournament, meaning that if you can't use magic you can't enter." Clyde said.

"Oh I got that covered. A little bit of soul energy should be able to pass as magic." I said.

"So you're going to lie your way into the tournament?" Clyde asked.

"What...It's not lying...It's pretending!" I said.

"If you are caught cheating or using anything other than magic you'll be killed!" Clyde said seriously.

"Ain't nobody gonna find out. I'm a master at deception!" I said. Clyde rolled his eyes and walked off. Vizeron jumped up on my shoulder and grinned. I gave him a confused look. "Why are you so happy?"

"All the new moves that I learned! I feel invincible!" Viz shouted happily.

"We should start using some of those to prank Clyde." I said.

"I could transform into Isabel and mess with him." Viz insisted.

"That is genius! As soon as I win the tournament, I'm well set it all into motion." I said. I saw the future me walking by and decided to stop him. "Yo Tatsu!"

"What do you want kid?" He asked.

"You know you've been training me a lot lately and I just wanted to know if you could teach me some of those cool techniques that you know how to do." I asked.

"I already told him to you. You'll learn my techniques when it's time." He said.

" Aww come on man! Aren't you supposed to be here to change the past? pretty sure teaching me a couple of things early counts as changing." I said.

"I don't know what effect it will have on the future. Worst case scenario, I end up teaching you a ton of this stuff, you still turn evil and then you're pretty much unbeatable. Not really sure if I want to deal with that. Especially when I have to deal with my own Metagenesis."

"There has got to be something you can teach me. I am literally down to learn anything right now. I need something to help me prepare for the tournament." I said.

Look kid, I told already I can't do anything. All of the new stuff you learn and all the cool weapons you get i'll happen after a certain something takes place." He said vaguely.

"...What?! What happens?"

"Can't say because if I do, you'll end up trying to prevent it which will then lead to you not learning a single one of those skills or meeting any of the new allies you'll need in order to stop the Red Man."

"Are you freaking serious right now?" I asked.

"I'm very serious. Now, do you have any other questions that I can't answer?" He asked me with a raised brow.

I sighed. "When do I get to learn my next skill?"

"Not too long from now, I'll tell you that much."

" When is the tournament?" I asked him.

"In three months." He responded.

"Shit! Do I at least learn my next skill in that time frame?!"

"Yep." He nodded.

"Is it cool?" I asked.

"Meh…" He shrugged.

"Damnit!" I grumbled. "This sucks ass!"

"Would you relax. This is why I don't like talking about the future... people get all stressed about it." He groaned.

"Duh, it's the future…" I said.

"You need to chill out and remember that this timeline should be different from mine. Only certain events should remain the same." He told me.

"How so?"

"Well for instance…we end up single in the future." He said. I gasped.

"But how?! I'm me?!" I said.

"Well… that's the burden you have to carry in order to be the strongest. I went to total isolation to obtain the strength that I have all of my powers and all of my tools." He said.

"Aww man you kinda suck now. What happened to you and Gabby?"

"Did you even hear me when I told you my future story? We broke up…" He said.

"No way! Did you at least follow through with the back up plan?!" I asked.

"I never got a chance they all died…" He said.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! How the hell did you not start the harem?!" I asked with disappointment.

"You try dealing with everyone you know dying! It sucks doesn't it?" He snapped.

"Man… your life is horrible. There is no way I'm going to be like you when I'm older. Even if I end up being weaker than you, I'll still at least have my girlfriend...and if that still fails, then it's on toShiro's crew of lovely women!"

"Wow… I can tell this timeline is already completely different. I do not remember being this incompetent when I was younger. You are on a whole nother level kid." He said to me.

"Think of it like this, you're in a whole new world now. All the women that were too old for us before, are now all yours. I see the way you and Eliza are getting close. I bet you LOVE her. I mean, she kicks ass, she sexy as hell with that skin tight leather armor and she's straight up cool as shit. If I was your age, I'd be all up in that!" I said while nudging him.

"I'm telling you I was not this vulgar I was younger. Plus, don't you think that it's little weird that she'd be dating her apprentice's future self?"

"Hell no! Have you seen Xena when she was my age?! Goddamn! I never wanted chocolate more in my life!" I said, thinking about her.

"...Yeah, I think we're done here. You're starting to make me hate myself." He said.

"What?! I'm trying to help you out! You've been dry for years dude. Getting freaky in this timeline won't hurt. I as a resident of this universe give you full permission to bang my mentor." I said.

~ ** _SMACK_** ~

"What the hell?!" I asked angrily as I looked at Tatsu.

"You need a filter, man. You are completely out of control." He said.

-3 Hours Later-

"Please…" I begged.

"No." Gabby declined.

"Please…" I asked again.

"No Shiro." She said.

"...Please…"

"If you ask me again, I'm gonna break your fingers." She threatened.

"But why not?" I asked sadly.

"Because that's completely inappropriate!" She said.

"No it's not. Just don't think about it like that. We're just "sleeping" in the same bed together. We're not gonna do anything...unless you wanna-"

"No!" She said and continued polishing her sword.

"Damnit Gabby! I can't keep staying in that stupid room with Clyde. Everytime I wake up on the floor my back is all stiff and room smells like wolf farts!" I said.

"No! What will Izzy think when she comes in here and sees you under my sheets? We have to share a room now because your future self needed a place to stay."

"She can slide under the sheets with us." I said jokingly. Unfortunately Gabby didn't take that as a joke. She threw her sword at me which damn near took my head off.

"Out!" Sbe demanded.

"I was kidding!" Sorta…

"You're not staying in here Shiro!" She yelled.

"But I love you!" I said. This is my trump card. I had no other choice.

"...I don't care! Now get out!" She growled. Gotta love her temper.

"I'll do whatever you want!" I offered.

"I want you to get out of my room!" She said bluntly.

"Ok...Anything other than that."

"Shiro...Get.Out.NOW!" She yelled.

"I can't go another night, sleeping on that damn floor! Viz lays on my face and suffocates me! You are literally sending me to my death!" I said dramatically. I ran up and hugged her torso. "Please! I just need one night of relief. I forgot what a soft bed feels like."

"...You know what...Fine. You can stay the night…" She said in a suggestive tone.

"...Really?" I asked, still not believing that she gave into my wishes.

"But…" She started.

"Oh goddamnit…" I muttered.

"You're going to owe me a favor. I'm not going to use it now...but just know that you owe me." I didn't like how that sounded. I had to weigh my options. Sleep in an actual bed tonight and possibly...cuddle...with Gabby but risk whatever traumatic thing she has me do in the near future that may or may not leave me scarred for life...Or deal with Vizeron's ass yet again…

"Baby, you got yourself a deal!" I said. Screw Vizeron's ass! I refuse to wake up with fur in my mouth. I need this break from that damn room. To be honest, I deserve it! I trained hard these past five months. I deserve a reward. If Tatsu says that Gabby and I split up in the future, than I'm gonna prove him wrong.

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement. She grabbed a spare pillow and an extra sheet.

"What's that for?" I asked confused.

"Well I'm going in your room. You can have my bed for the night while I take the floor in your room." She said with a smirk.

My eyes went wide with panic. "W...what?! No! C'mon Gabby! Your bed is big enough for both of us." I said blocking her path.

"You wanted the bed, so I'm giving you the bed." She said getting annoyed.

"But...I need somebody to keep me warm!" I say. This was no time to give in. I was losing her!!!

"You can always got back to your room…" She said.

I lost it. I broke down on the floor and started screaming. "WHY WON'T YOU SLEEP WITH ME?!?!?" I asked as I held onto her two gorgeous legs.

"Shiro...I'm going to kill you! LET ME GO!!!" She snarled.

"But I need you soft body to keep me company while I sleep!" I shouted hysterically.

"Isabel will be sleeping right next to you on the floor. You want company? Talk to her!" She hissed with rage.

I had to act fast. I knew I was testing her patience. It was only a matter of time before she got physically violent. "Aren't you my girlfriend?! Why you gotta be so cruel to your man like this?!" I asked.

"I'm about to shove my foot up my boyfriend's ass!" She said. I know that she will too. I needed something. I couldn't let her just leave the room being pissed at me.

"...Can you at least tuck me in…" I asked.

"How old are you?!" She asked.

"Young enough to be tucked in, old enough for you to sleep with me…" I said. She glared at me.

"If I tuck you in, will you finally shut the hell up?" She asked.

"I might…" She narrowed her eyes. "Yes ma'am…" I said.

"Fine...Get the hell on the bed!" She demanded.

"Gotta get in to my pjs first." I said before ripping off my shirt and tossing away my pants leaving me in my boxers. I glanced up at Gabby as she looked away. "See something you-"

"If you say another word, I'll break your spine." She said.

I hopped on the soft bed and stared at her smugly as she forcefully threw the sheets on top of me. She started to walk away but I stopped her.

"What about my story?" I asked.

She glared at me. "There was an idiot that went to sleep before his girlfriend ripped him in half. The end." She said plainly. "Happy now?"

"Not really...Can I at least get a goodnight kiss or something?" I asked.

"...No." She said.

"Please…"

"No...And if you say please again you gonna lose your tongue." She said.

"Just a quickie…" I ask. "Just a tiny little peck on the lips…"

"Will you leave me alone?" She asked.

"You have my word." I said to her knowing damn well what I intended to do. She stomped over to me and leaned in to peck my lips. I wasn't having that though. I snaked my behind her back and pulled her into my. I locked my arms around her and grinned. Her scowl almost made me drop the whole act.

"Let me go!" She growled.

"Sorry but I can't do that. If I do, you'll just leave me in the bed all alone and cold. You're so warm and soft. I need you." I said as I kissed her cheek.

"I need you…" She began and without warning, she kneed me in my nuts...again. I let go and let out a pained wimper. She pushed me back down. "...To go the hell to sleep." She pecked my lips and smirked. "Goodnight dumbass." She said as she hopped off of me, grabbed her stuff, and walked out the door leaving me holding myself in pain.

-1 Hour Later-

I was lying awkwardly in the bed struggling the get myself to sleep. I knew Isabel was still up after the last time we legitimately talked was back during that whole Necro Fall arc. Back when she was my waifu.

"..." I didn't say anything.

"..." She didn't say anything.

"So…" I started.

"...Yeah…" She replied, equally as awkward.

I had to cut the tension. Come on Shiro, say something to break the ice.

"Suck any blood recently?" Goddamnit!

"...Not really. My vampiric tendencies aren't really there anymore. I mean, I'm still a vampire at heart but, I'm not out feasting on people." She said.

"Oh...That's interesting…" Damnit Gabby! Why'd you have to leave me all alone!

"Shiro?" She called out to me.

"Yeah? What's up?" I asked.

"Do you miss the other me? I know that you two got pretty close so…" She started trailing off.

"Well she kinda came onto me but if what you're asking is if I want her back than I guess that I could say that I'm over it. She was cool but, I'm kinda used to having the sweet, innocent, NOT READY TO RAPE ME Isabel." I said.

She smiled lightly and nodded. "Yeah…"

"Plus, it's not all that bad. I mean, I have Gabby now so I think I'll be ok." I spoke. I then shifted playfully off of the bed and rolled next to her on the floor. "So what's up with you and Clyde?" I asked.

She blushed at my words but ended up smiling. "Clyde has been my friend for years. We've taken care of each other since we were little. He'd always protect me and make me smile. We traveled together a lot before we met our mentors."

"Sounds pretty nice. I usually traveled alone and had to fight off bandits and thieves. I'd get my ass kicked one minute and the pickpocket the same guy seconds later. It was… a bit of a hassle. I can't imagine what my dad went through. He had to rule a kingdom, fight a King of Hell and the put up with my horse shit all together."

"I'm pretty sure he still loved you. Regardless of your mistakes." She said.

"Of course he did. He was always trying to get me to do the right thing… I loved my dad… It just sucks that I didn't get to tell him that." I said.

"What do you mean?"

"The day of the Red Death, dad and I had a bit of an argument. I yelled at him, said some things that I shouldn't have said… all because I couldn't handle the truth." I told her.

"What truth? What did he tell you?" She asked.

"The truth about my mother… and the truth about how I'm not the true heir. My younger sister would've technically been the next in line to rule Hazen Reach because she's the king AND queen's biological kid. My half sister's mom passed away after giving birth. My mom… was just one of my father's mistakes.That's not what pissed me off though. It was the fact that I kept trying to obtain a power that I could never use." I explained.

"And that would be..?"

"The Gift of the Hazen Lords. It was the power that I would've used to help defend the kingdom. The only problem is that I'm not of full royal blood so is short… My sister would've been the one to gain that godly power and not me. Realizing that made me feel helpless which led me to consuming this stupid sharp the does NOTHING but restrict my goddamn mana!" I ranted.

"Ok… That's a lot to process…" She said.

"Yeah… Tell me about it." I shrugged before hopping back on Gabby's bed. "Oh well. Dad and Maddie died so I can't dwell on that now…" I said trying to brush off this topic. I didn't like talking about this kinda stuff.

"What about your mom?" She asked.

"What ABOUT my mom?" I said while raising a brow.

"Well...Who is she?" Isabel asked.

"I don't know…" I said simply.

"Oh…" She muttered.

"..." I stayed quiet.

"...Well goodnight!" I said quickly.

"Goodnight Shiro…" She said in her soft voice.

(GABBY'S POV)

I set my pillow and blanket down on the floor and prepared myself to sleep. Viz walked over to me and gave me the cute eyes.

"You can stay next to me, but if I wake up with you on my face, I'm plucking your fur off. Strand by strand. Got it?" I asked.

"Yes ma'am…" He said as he snuggled next to me.

Clyde looked down at me with a confused glance. "Should I be concerned on whether or not this'll be a permanent arrangement?" He asked me.

"It's just for tonight. He wouldn't shut up." I told him.

"Why not just stay with him in your room. You two are dating aren't you?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. "I don't think that five months of rigorous training counts as a date." I said to him.

"Then what are you two?" He asked my before opening up a book.

"I don't really know. Can we really say we're a couple? We haven't really done anything yet?"

"Hmm...Sounds complicated." He said. Not looking up from his book.

"It kind of is. I mean, we play are with each other a lot. We tend to flirt a bit. He does something annoying, I pretend to want to kick his ass… Well I usually pretend. The thing is… Something is missing from it all."

"And that something would be… what exactly?" He asked.

"I don't know...Romance, passion...something like that. Don't get me wrong. Shiro knows how to bring the fun side outta me… but I guess I kinda want him to treat me more like a…" I began losing my words. I wasn't sure of what to say.

"...More like an actual feminine type of girl?" Clyde finished.

"Yeah… Something like that." I said.

"You don't exactly make it easy for him." Clyde spoke.

"What do you mean?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

"Well… For starters, girly girls don't walk around in battle armor and carry huge swords." Clyde said.

"...Ok...That's understandable." I nodded.

"Look, Shiro is a bit of a..." He looked up in thought.

"Pervert." I said bluntly.

"I was gonna say mindless jackass but that works too. You gotta give him more signs that you want to ACTUALLY do something aside from just flirt teasing."

"How?" I asked.

"You can start by being more affectionate instead of ruthless." He said. I couldn't tell if he was being a smartass or being serious.

"So like, instead of threatening, I just give in?" I asked.

He nodded. "He's a hormonal teen. The slightest touch will make him go nuts." Clyde said.

"Wow… Thanks Clyde. When the hell did you become the love guru?" I asked with a grin.

"I'm just giving you the most reasonable approach to the situation." He said as he put his book down. "I'm going to sleep now…" He said.

"Alright… Goodnight Clyde." I said to him. He nodded and turned off the lamp.


	24. The Foes Before Us

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Damn! This has got to be the longest walk in the freaking world!" I shouted with impatience.

"Would you shut up and relax. This is the only possible way that we'd be able to find the portal to the arena." Clyde said with an annoyed grunt.

We were walking through some bullshit forest that was covered with huge ass trees. I was sick of this long and tedious journey. I just wanted to get to the tournament and get my fight on.

"Hey, has anyone seen Tatsu?" I asked.

"I think that he was headed off to some interdimensional landscape to go and talk to the Chronomancer." Eliza said.

"What for?" Gabby asked.

"Said something about needing a refresher course. I'm not entirely sure. He promised to be back before the end of the tournament." Eliza said.

Xena led us to a large glowing tree. We all stared up at it with amazement. It was the biggest tree I had ever seen in my life.

"The mana emanating from this tree is incredible. It's so dense and free that it's making me all tingly." Clyde said to which the others agreed.

"I feel the same though…" I said with a shrug.

"You barely have any mana at all so I'm not surprised." Clyde said.

"Arrogant dick…" I muttered.

"I will now, open up the gateway to the Enchanted Mana Void. This place is solely based upon the use of magic. In here, you're only as strong and your magical abilities." Xena explained.

"In other words, Shiro is pretty much screwed." Clyde said with a small smirk.

"One more word Clyde...ONE MORE WORD!" I snapped.

"Enough of your childish antics. Please step into the portal." She said.

I flipped Clyde the bird and stepped inside. The minute I entered, I fell right to the ground. It was as if gravity was increased, making it absolutely unbearable.

The others hopped through and seemed unaffected by the change in gravity. They all stared at me with similar looks. Clyde and Viz started laughing, Izzy and Gabby were giggling and the three mentors held amused grins.

"What?! How come you guys can still stand?" I asked.

"Our mana essence helps us balance against the mana in the void." Amora said.

"Well...How the hell do I get up?!" I asked with visible irritation.

"You have to use your mana." Clyde said.

"Piss off Clyde! You know that I can't." I growled.

"I guess you can't compete then. That's too bad...Oh well! Time for us to go."Clyde said.

"No way you asshole!" I glared. I channeled some of my soul energy into both of my legs and stood up. I glared at Clyde and pushed past him. I stared at the area before us. The sky was a bright purple color. The oddly shaped trees were all blue. Strange little creatures floated in the sky without a single care. This left me in awe. "Goddamn…" I muttered.

"This place is so pretty!" Izzy said happily.

"Meh...I've seen better…" I muttered.

"Come! We shall depart to the arena at once." Xena said. She waved her left hand and surrounded us in a bubble. We were lifted up into the air and flew fast across the sky. In a matter of seconds, we reached the enormous arena.

Once inside said arena, we were removed from the bubble. Xena dropped us near five people. I only recognized one of them. Said person caused Clyde to smile.

"Master Xeno! It's so good to see you again!" Clyde said as he ran up and bowed before him.

"Ah yes. My young deciple. I see that you've decided to enter the tournament." The pyromancer said with a fired up grin.

"Yes! I wish the prove myself and gain access to the Mana Star." Clyde spoke with the utmost respect for the man.

"That is most pleasing. I do hope that you show off your mastery of the flames during the competition. I wish to see how much you've improved. You have been keeping up with your training, correct?" He asked Clyde.

Clyde nodded. "Of course. I would never neglect my training. I wish to live my dream of being a Grand Spellcaster."

The other four people with Xeno looked at Clyde with a set of intrigued looks. One of them was a man, slightly taller than Xeno. He had the same half black, half white hair. The only difference was that his colors were on the opposite sides. He looked at Clyde with an cold stare before walking up to him.

"You wish to become the greatest wielder of magic? This means that you hope to master some form of Cryomancy, right?" The man asked.

"Y-yes sir!" Clyde said without a hint of disrespect for the man.

"I see...Very well then...Based on how well you do in this tournament will determine on whether or not you will receive the ultimate training from the world's best Cryomancer." The man said.

"...Who is this guy?" I asked, feeling in the dark. Clyde turned around and punched me. I dropped to the floor and held my bruising cheek. "Ow! What the hell is your problem?!"

Clyde's glare intensified. "Show some respect you ignorant jackass! You're in the presence of the three strongest users of magic! They can kill you in seconds!" Clyde snapped.

"Punch me like that again, and I'll kill YOU in seconds!" I hissed back.

Clyde turned his attention back to the man. "Please forgive his foolish nature Master Xeto. His brain isn't always working."

The taller man chuckled. "Such a noble young man. I do hope you live up to your hype. You've trained with my little brother and are my little sister's apprentice. That alone puts you at an advantage." Xeto said.

"But do keep in mind, young Yukio. There is no favoritism. We will judge you fairly and accordingly. Your skills will determine how far you get in this tournament." Xeno said.

"He's right Clyde. Don't underestimate your opponents just because of who you've trained with. We may be powerful, but that doesn't mean that you have our skill yet. You have little combat experience compared to some of these mages. You'll need to keep that in mind." Xena said to him.

"Ugh! Can we just go a sign up for this thing already. I'm ready to whoop some magical ass!" I said with a smirk. That's when all five faces looked at me with dark expressions. "W-what? Did I say something wrong?!" I asked nervously.

The tallest man stepped over to me. His long red cloak was dragging against the floor. The way he carried himself showed that he was of high authority. When he stepped closer, some weird energy force was forcing me to kneel to the ground. Attempting to stand was becoming more and more difficult. I couldn't move a muscle.

"Young man...Do you plan on entering this tournament?" He asked me. His voice was deep and intense.

"No! He only came to watch-" Clyde started desperately.

"Yes! I came to enter!" I said, shutting Clyde up.

The mans looming gaze hardened. "...I would recommend that you change your mind…" He said.

My eyes snapped open at him. "Hell no! I'm not about to be shown up by Clyde again!"

"You have the weakest mana flame inside of your core. It is so faint that I couldn't even tell if you were alive or not. You will be beaten with ease little boy." The man said.

I glared up at him. "Screw you! I don't care about that! I'm gonna win and you'll all see what I can do!"

"How do you plan to fight with close to no mana essence?" Xeto asked.

"I have my ways! I'll kick everyone's ass! That includes you Clyde!" I said, glaring at my rival. He scoffed in response.

"You do realize that those that enter without using magic will receive the ultimate punishment, right? If you so happen to choose to fight in this tournament with any other utility, you will be killed." The man said.

"Well...does this count?" I asked before flaring up my soul energy and once again being able to stand. The man's eyes seemed to widen a bit a me.

"I had a feeling that you were using such an ability. I could sense a sinister power deep down inside of you. Do you not realize the effects of using that form of power. It can corrupt ones mind." The man said.

"Yeah...I've been training hard to get past that little issue." I said.

"I see...I'm interested to see how well you can use such...controversial forms of power. I will allow the use of soul energy…However…" The man spoke before I was slammed into the ground by a much more forceful amount of that weird energy that he was giving off. "Any lethal weapons that are not magic based are strictly prohibited. Do you understand my words child?" He asked me.

"Y...yes…" I choked out. He relieved me of the intense pressure and allowed me to stand once more.

The whole time, Clyde stared at the man with admiration. He slowly walk over to the man and bowed. "Grand Spellcaster Dex! I am honored to be in your presence sir!"

Said man turned to Clyde. He held his serious expression and nodded to him. "I'm expecting big things from you mister Yukio." He said before him, Xeno and Xeto disappeared from sight.

"...I can't believe it...I actually met them!" Clyde said like some stupid fan boy.

"Yeah whatever…" I grumbled.

"Let's depart to the sign up section. The tournament will begin shortly." Xena said.

Once we made our way to the sign up station, we were told to stand on a circular pad in order to measure our level of mana. It went about as well as you'd expect. Not only did it take place in front of everyone that was watching, which was like a million people, but is was also done with a ranking system. It went:

Rabbit, Badger, Cobra (Below Average), Eagle, Shark, Tiger (Average), Griffin, Wyvern, Dragon (Above Average), then there was the God class which I could only assume had Xena, Xeno, and Xeto. Judging by Dex's insane amounts of mana, I'd say he's in a league of his own.

"Go on ahead Clyde." Xena said.

Clyde stepped on the pad and flared up an enormous amount of mana. The pad glowed bright green underneath his feet. He stepped off and waited for his results.

"Clyde Yukio...Your mana flame is above average. Your ranking is Wyvern." The cloaked man said. "Next!"

Clyde stepped forward with a grin on his smug face. "I'm already a Wyvern classed mage! Soon, I'll be a Dragon class and then I'll be in the God class!" He said happily. I rolled my eyes at him and watched as Izzy stepped on the pad.

"Isabel Yang… Your mana flame is above average. Your ranking is Griffin." The cloaked man said as Izzy stepped off of the green pad. "Next!"

"I guess that I'm up." Gabby said.

"Wait, I thought that you weren't competing." I said.

"I know. I'm just curious to see how far I can get by only using weapon magic given the fact that that's all I know how to really use." She said. She stepped on the pad and flared up her own mana. The pad glowed a bright yellow color.

"Gabriella Vasquez... Your mana flame is average. Your ranking is Tiger." He told her. "NEXT!"

Gabby stepped off with a smile. "Not bad for someone that doesn't use magic all that much." She said.

"Guess that leaves me…" I walked to the pad and stepping on it. "So uh...What now…" I asked the cloaked man.

"Bring out your mana for the pad to measure it…" He answered with a tired sigh.

"Well...here goes…" I tried to bring out whatever mana that I had, but I wasn't sure that I had made a difference. I kept trying until I saw the pad beneath me glow. My heart dropped when I saw the flashing red color.

"Shiro Tatsugami...Your mana flame is far below average. You've broken the record for lowest mana essence in existence. You are the first and only person to ever be put in the lowest possible mage class. Your ranking...is Rabbit…" He said.

"The first person...but there's gotta be someone with mana like mine…" I said in a broken voice. I can't say I didn't expect this, but it did hurt to know that I was the literal WORST in all of history.

I could hear the howling laughter from the crowd. The chuckles and giggles from the other competitors that were surrounding me. I felt rage boiling up inside of me and I wanted nothing more that show off my strength, but I couldn't. My mana was pathetic and I didn't know how to fix it.

I grit my teeth and clenched my fist as I stepped off of the pad. Clyde and Gabby looked at the other competitors and glared. Viz was practically snarling at them as he flashed his sharp fangs with hatred.

"Are you ok Shiro?" Izzy asked me.

"...I don't care. Forget about that shit!" I growled before storming off.

"Shiro!" Gabby called out me.

I ignored her and stomped over to a nearby wall, and sat against it while trying to cool off. I was so pissed off and yet I felt so weak and inadequate. Fucking RABBIT! I knew that my mana was weak but damn! Not even Badger. I stared at my my hands as they flashed purple. They were shaking uncontrollably and that left me panicking.

"Relax...Relax…" I said to myself.

"You ok?" Gabby asked before sitting next to me. She sat right against me. I noticed that my hand went back to normal.

"...I'm fine…" I said to her. I really wasn't but she did help me get rid of some of the rage.

"You know, you shouldn't let them get to you. They won't be laughing when you kick their ass." Gabby said with a grin.

"Yeah…" I said distantly. I wanted to believe that.

She turned my head towards her face and stared at me. "You gotta give them everything you got. I don't know much about that soul energy, but it does seem useful. I know you can do this." She said.

"You really think I can win?" I asked hopefully.

"Well no, not really...but you've proved me wrong before so what do I know." She said. She continued to stare at me. She look directly into my eyes. I moved my head forward and was gonna kiss her until Viz dived into my lap, crushing my nuts in the process.

"BETA MALE! ARE YOU OK?! DO YOU WANT ME TO TEACH THOSE ASSHOLE A LESSON? I'LL RIP THE TO SHREDS!!!" Viz growled.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "GET OFF OF ME!" I said as I tossed him off my lap.

"I was defending your honor you sack of human shit!" Viz barked.

"You just curb stomped my nuts!" I said back angrily.

Izzy and Clyde walked over to us. Clyde gave me a bored look. "Get up loser! You dare call yourself my rival after letting yourself get hurt by meaningless words?"

I stared at him with wide eyes. I smirked at him and got up. "Shut up Clyde. I'm still gonna kick your ass."

He smirked back at me. "We'll see…"

A large gong was heard, signaling the start of a tournament. Clyde and Izzy stared at me. "None of us have to fight each other in the first or second round." Izzy said.

"Good. That just means we all get to see each other in the semifinals." I said.

"So don't you dare lose before I get to fight you Tatsugami." Clyde said.

The gang and I walked over to the tournament stage. Xena had joined her family in the Judgement booth at the top of the colosseum. Amora, and Eliza found some seats that were reasonably close to the action.

In the center of the stage was a pint sized woman that was the size of my middle finger. Her little wings flapped vigorously as she flew around.

"We will now commence the beginning of The Tournament of Mages! Will all twenty eight competitors come forth!" She said loudly in a cute little voice.

Everyone that was fighting stepped forward. I looked around nervously. Everyone had determined looks on their faces. Even Izzy looked ready for action. This left me feeling anxious. How far could I possibly get without mana. These people are all skilled mages. I'm just a level 32 rogue with a frowned upon form of power. I don't even know how to use soul energy all that well. This was gonna suck.

"Well will now start the first round of the tournament. Will Sheqs Viheimer and Nikko Aroste come to the battle stage."

A tall man in a short black tattered cloak walked forward. On his right arm was a bronze gauntlet with three different colored gems on it. He walked casually to the stage without any hint of emotion. He was Sheqs.

The other fighter was a woman with a loose blue and white robe. She had a seductive feminine charm. Her messy long hair was dropped down to her back. Her yellow eyes held playful mischief. She also had six thin whiskers on her cheeks. She stared at and licked her lips at Sheqs.

"Will you give me a good fight?" Sheqs asked in a serious, husky voice.

"Mmm...I'll give you more than that if you play rough with me." Nikko said to him. Is it wrong that part of me wanted to be in that ring…

"Hmph...I'm not here for you meaningless flirting. If you're here to play around, then you're better off just leaving now." The brooding man said.

"Aww...Come on now, Sweetie. No need to be so mean." The woman gave off a golden aura and smirked. What was weird about her was the addition of cat ears and a tail. "Spell of Enhancement: Sacred Beast Alternative!" She yelled.

Sheqs lifted up his gauntlet and and narrowed his brown eyes. The red gem glowed brightly and gave off an aura. He flared up his mana before shifting into a stance. "Hidden Boost, Second Gate Awaken!"

Sheqs punched the ground sending tremors throughout the stage. Large pillars of stone arose from the floor. Nikko dodged and avoided the attacks with cat like reflexes. She danced around the stage with graceful movements. She moved forward with swiftness and buried her foot deep into his chest.

Sheqs skidded back but ultimately stood his ground. This lead to him glaring at the cat-woman. He aimed his gauntlet at her and let out a shout. "Third Gate Awaken!"

Sheqs pushed forward and struck her with blinding speed. Nikko took the hit head on, and responded with a kick to his head. He swung at her again but she was still much quicker than him. She ducked under the fierce attack and sent him a staggering uppercut. His head snapped back and he landed flat on his ass.

"Aww...You're not as attractive when you're getting your ass kicked, sweetie." She taunted.

"Hmph...First Gate Awaken!" He said as the blue gem glowed brightly. He glared at her. "You can't win now. Not when I have all gates awakened."

She licked her lips teasingly. "Trust me…" She said simply. Before I could even blink she had used her sharp nails to stab a hole into Sheqs. Blood dripped down to the stage floor. "I've fought plenty of men stronger than you."

Sheqs dropped to the floor gasping for breath. He was holding the wound in chest and choking on his own blood. I stared at the scene with a horrified expression.

"D...did she just...kill that guy?!" I asked.

"Well...Killing isn't exactly forbidden in this tournament." Clyde said, much to the shock of Gabby, Isabel and I.

"I don't know about this anymore…" Isabel said nervously.

"To be honest...I'd say you'll be fine. You're the only one of us that has true healing abilities and probably the best one here when it comes to that." Clyde said to her.

"Really?!" She asked.

"Yeah. You'll at least do better than Shiro will." Gabby said.

"Damn babe...That kinda hurts…" I grumbled.

She pecked my cheek and giggled. "Oh calm down you big baby. I'm just teasing you." She said.

We all looked up as Dex snapped his fingers. The stage was made as good as new. He then signaled for the start of the next match.

"I guess that means that I'm up next." Clyde said.

"Knock em' dead douchebag." I said.

"Will Clyde Yukio and Utikate Shioh please come to the stage!" The tiny pixie lady said.

Clyde walk up and stared down his opponent with a serious stare. His opponent was a burly man with a brown jacket. He had a belt with four bottles tied to it. Each bottle had a purple liquid inside of it.

"Well, it looks like my first match is gonna be a quick victory. They put me against a shrimp like you?! What a joke!" He said.

"...What's your little gimmick? You a magical alcoholic or something?" Clyde asked. Not bad, but he should use one of my one liners.

"I'm a high ranking alchemist! With my best concoction, I shall secure my victory!" He said.

"Judging by the four bottles, I'd say that you're planning to use one per match. Am I correct?" Clyde deducted.

"Ding ding ding! The little shit stain is right. Good thing I'll only need one bottle to put you down kid." The man said with a grin.

"...Right…" Clyde flared up his mane, causing gusts of wind to blow in our faces. "I'll make this quick!"

The man drank one bottle and grinned. His skin turned purple and he began to grow bigger and his muscles bulged out. "Now you done kid!" He said with a deeper voice.

"Ward of Binding: Web of Shadows!" Clyde yelled as his shadow began to shoot up from the ground and constrict his opponent.

"What the hell?! Get this shit off of me!" He yelled.

Clyde clapped his hands together. "Ward of Lightning: Blitzkrieg!" Several large bolts of of lightning shot out and fried Utikate. The alchemist fell to the floor, knocked out. Clyde stood there with a bored look on his face. "That wasn't even a fight…"

Clyde hopped off of the stage and landed next to us. Izzy automatically congratulated him on his swift win. It wasn't hard to tell who'd win. The guy's "magical weapon" was steroids.

Another few fights happened up until it was Gabby's turn. I was hype to see how she used magic. "You got this Gabs!" I said to her.

She nodded to me and hopped up on the stage. Her opponent was Leach Sifón. She was a blue haired girl with a sad expression stuck on her face. She was forever frowning. She had on a dark green dress and white stockings.

"Good luck to you." Gabby said to her.

The girl nodded as a response before slamming both of her hands on the ground. Large, thick vines bursted through the stage floor and flew towards Gabby. Gabby dipped and dodged each off the vines. She kept avoiding them until she was held in place by small thin vines on the ground. The vines crept up Gabby's legs and restrained her.

"I'm sorry for this…" The girl said before flinging a hand forward and sending out two large, carnivorous plants with fangs that rivaled Vizeron's. As they got closer, I got more nervous.

"I summon the power of Tituné Jeune Fille!" Gabby shouted. "Sword of Excelsior!"

A large golden blade appeared and sliced through all of the vines. It cut the heads off of the two man eating plants and landed in Gabby's hand. She lifted the sword and pointed it at Leach. "Now I'm sorry!" She said. Leach sent out more thorny vines. Gabby used her gargantuan blade and made quick work of the plants. "Free form stance!" Gabby's thick armor disintegrated and leaving her only in a white tank top and her skin tight short shorts. It also gave me a great view of her curves. God, did she look good!

"Why would you lose your armor?" Leach asked.

"My armor weighs about thirty five tons. Needless to say, it slows me down quite a bit." Gabby then seemingly vanished from sight. She the reappeared behind Leach. She swung her sword in order to finish the fight but Leach brought out a huge tree to shield herself. While the tree did protect her, it was still easily cut in straight through the middle.

"No way…" Leach gasped.

"This is the end of this fight!" Gabby said before pointing her large blade right in between the poor girls eyes. "Surrender, or get hurt…"

"...I...give up… " Leach muttered. Gabby nodded and let her sword fade away. Her suit reappeared back on her body, much to my dismay.

Gabby hopped over to us with a wide smile. "So what do you think?" She asked, mostly to me.

"Amazing…" I said in awe of her skills.

"I...I think that I'm next." Isabel said.

"Just remember to do your best out there." Clyde said as he placed his hands on her shoulder. "I know you can win this. I believe in you."

"We all do! Now get up their and kick some ass!" I yelled.

She smiled at us and nodded. "I'll do my best." She slowly walked over to the stage and stared at her opponent.

"Why hello my dear. I am honored to do battle with such a beautiful girl such as yourself." Said a boy with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. He wore a pair of bifocals and was rocking a navy blue suit and tie. His name was Gustavo Otavolla

Isabel blushed at his words. H...Hello…" She said timidly.

"May I ask you miss Yang, to please forfeit the match. I would hate to ruin such a pretty face such as yours." He said. I could feel Clyde ready to explode.

"I...I can't! I won't let my friends down. Not ever again." She said with determination.

"Pity...I suppose you leave me no choice. Art of Passing No. 25, Doppelganger!" The man shouted before he made about ten clones of himself. The clones all charged at izzy with the intent to kill.

Izzy's face got serious and she closed her eyes, then let out a deep breath. "From the holy day to soulless night, let those that fear me flee with fright. The blood I shed shall form a new, to the being that strikes and seals your doom." She spoke slowly. This left me and practically everyone else confused. That's when Izzy's mana skyrocketed and she was covered in a strange black energy. When it faded, she stood there with pale skin, blood red eyes, two sharp fangs and a pair of bat wings. I stared at her with a shocked look. Her appearance brought back a ton of memories.

"What the hell?!" Gustavo said with panic.

"Sorry, but...weak scum like you really piss me off!" She said before flying through and straight up bodying every single clone in a matter of seconds. She flapped her wings and floated in front of the well dressed prick. "It's been so long since I've had bite to eat…Care to be a good friend?" Gustavo face went blue and he hauled ass out of the ring and towards the exit. Izzy soon after went back to normal and landed by us. "So...How did I do?"

"That was fucking sick!" I shouted.

"You did great Isabel! I knew you would." Clyde said with a grin.

"Next up is Shiro Tatsugami and Mezuku Ginto!" The pixie yelled.

I walked up to the stage. I could hear Vizeron howling from the stands and that made me grin. I stood at the center of the stage. I locked eyes with my opponent and glared. He had primarily black hair with blonde highlights. His eyes held just as much determination as mine.

"Are you sure that you want to do this? Your mana flame is-" He started, but I had heard enough.

"Screw it! That's not important. Worry about your own goddamn self!" I barked back.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Very well…" Light particles danced around his body. "Spirit of Xangarde! Lend me your power so that I may defeat my foe!" The particles swarmed around his feet and hands. As the light dimmed down a bit, he was seen to now have sharp dragon claws for hands and feet made entirely out of light. "Prepare yourself!"

"Fine…" I said as I channeled a bit of soul energy into my own hands and feet. Purple static shifted around my limbs wildly. We both took off at each other with blinding speed and started trading blows. I shoved my fist against his chest and then kneed him in the chin. He quickly recovered from that and kicked my in the face and sent me flying back. I backflipped and landed on my feet and blasted forward with my fist cocked back. I sent a brutal fist into his gut. Spit flew out of his mouth as he flew to the opposite end of the stage.

He crawled to his feet and looked at me with a confused face. "How are you able to keep up the power of the Light Demon Xangarde?!" He asked me.

"I pushed myself to my limits...plus I got soul energy so…" I said.

"Soul energy? I've never heard of that before." Mezuku said.

"Then watch and learn because I plan on winning this!" I said with a grin.

"Not a chance dude! Xangarde, Maximize Potential!" He said.

Oh shit…


	25. An Icy Rose

(SHIRO'S POV)

Mezuku was now glowing brightly. He looked at me with glowing eyes and a harsh glare. The wind around me was stirring up.

"That's it Shiro. It's over now. You can't keep up with me in this form." He said before raising a hand in my direction. Seconds later, a large beam of light shot towards me. I flipped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast and charged up more soul energy. I pushed forward and swung my fist at him. My punch missed and smashed into the stage floor. He kicked me up into the air. Before I could even blink, he appeared in front of me. He kicked me back down at terminal velocity. I smashed into the floor with a harsh thud. I laid in the rubble with sickening injuries. He stared down at me with a glare. "Give up."

"I can't…" I said before letting out a bit more energy. "l'll never back down!" I jumped up with a cocked back fist. He simply caught it and sighed.

"You won't win with cheap little sneak attacks like that." He said. He tightened his grip, causing me to wince in pain. He lifted me up and punched me in the gut. I dropped to the floor and gagged. Before I could gain my bearings, I was kicked across the stage. Mezuku jumped up into the air and elbow dropped me, breaking two of my ribs. I let out a pained yell and gasped for air. "Do you quit?" He asked.

"N...no way!" I coughed out.

He pinned me down and started punching me repeatedly in the face. Every punch caused my soul energy to fluctuate. It soon grew wild and uncontrollable. He reeled his fist back and glared. "Do you quit?!" He asked aggressively.

"...Try me…" I said back.

He launched his left fist at me with heavy force. With fast acting reflexes, I caught the punch in my right hand and smirked. The purple static around my hands surged and covered my entire right arm.

~CRACK~

With a quick flick, I crushed the bones in his hand with relative ease. He let of a grunt and tried to free himself. In one swift motion, I grabbed his forearm and snapped it in two. This time he let out a yell.

"Let go of me!" He demanded while trying to remove himself from my grasp. I simply kicked him up and away from me. He landed and held his destroyed arm. "You freaking psychopath!"

"First and last warning...Quit now while I am still thinking straight." I told him.

"No chance in hell!" He ran at me which left me smirking. His speed was amazing but it still couldn't match me when I was like this. I dodged the flurry of punches and kicks. When he seemed to start slowing down, I jabbed him one good time in his chest before sweeping his legs. He dropped to the floor and groaned. I looked over him and grinned. This time, I pinned him down.

"Do you quit?" I asked.

"...No." He muttered.

I began chuckling a bit. "Ok…" I said plainly before burying my fist into his face. His nose broke instantly on the first punch. He was already leaking. "Do you quit?"

"N...N-no…" He said through the pain.

"Mhmm…" I punched his face in once more. This time he lost a few teeth. "Do you quit?"

"N-no…" He muttered.

I punched his face in causing his eye to swell and darken. "Do you quit…" I asked again.

"..." I got no response.

I started pounding his face in, only this time, it was more violently and left his face looking distorted. Blood soaked my hand and I started to see purple. I continuously bashed his face against the ground until I was blasted back by a gust of wind. I looked at who dared to stop me and glared.

"You need to calm yourself, boy." Dex said to me. "If you continue to let your soul energy overwhelm you and cloud your mind, then I'll have no choice but to erase you from existence."

"I AM CALM!" I growled.

"Shiro please...Just relax yourself." Gabby said. Her somewhat startled expression made me drop my hostility.

"I...I'm sorry…" I muttered with shame.

"It is fine. You do not know of what your powers can truly do. Soul energy can lead to corruption if not handled with respect and care. It'll damage you from the inside out." Dex explains.

I looked at what I did to Mezuku. In hindsight, I shouldn't even be aloud to fight...but that didn't matter to me. If I get that Mana Star, then I can quit having to rely on this power.

"Shiro Tatsugami has been deemed the victor and will advance to the second round." Said the pixie. The crowd roared with enraged boos. I knew right off the bat that they didn't want me to win.

I stepped down next to my friends. I hung my head down in shame due to my actions.

"Don't beat yourself up about it Shiro. You didn't mean to do it." Izzy said.

"No...I did mean to. For that brief moment, all I could think about was hurting someone." I sighed. "I guess I still can't control it…"

"Relax. Just try and take it easy on your next opponent." Clyde said.

"We will now take a short thirty minute break before starting the second round." Said the pixie.

Clyde let out a breath. "I'm gonna go up and use the bathroom real quick. I'll be right back." Clyde ran off I search of a suitable place to pee.

"Actually, I might go get a bottle of water. Using magic is exhausting." Gabby said.

"Bring me a bottle too Gabs." I spoke. She nodded and walked away to the snack stand.

(CLYDE'S POV)

I had finally arrived at the bathroom. Once I took care of my business, I washed my hands and walked out.

I continued back to the stage when a firm hand was placed on my shoulders. I turned around to greet the person when my mind went blank.

"Hello Clyde." Said a blonde haired man with a full beard and a strong physique underneath his cream colored suit. The man's voice was gruff and unwelcoming. His blue eyes showed full assertion.

"It's been quite some time since we last saw you. Oh, how you've grown so big." Said a brown haired woman with a soft yet fake smile. Her eyes were hidden by a pink blindfold. She was in a dark red dress and covered her hands in thin gloves made of silk.

My mood soon turned to aggression. I was enraged by these two people in particular. "What the hell are you two doing here?" I asked.

"Can't we watch our dear son compete in a tournament?" Said my father.

"I'm not your son anymore. You have no control over me!" I said loudly, causing people to stare.

My mother moved to me and grinned. "You ran away from home with that little slut of a vampire. The fact of the matter is that you can't face your own problems. You're afraid of being alone. If she wasn't there, you'd still be in mommy's arm, crying like the scared little bastard that you are." She said in her cold, manipulative voice. It held no love or sympathy. Only malice and betrayal.

"Why the hell are you even here? Answer me!" I growled.

"Isn't it obvious? We came to see if you're living up to your bold little declaration. You know, to be a Grand Spellcaster and prove yourself to the kingdom that you disgraced with you foolhardy antics." Father said.

"I'm closer to my goal than ever. I have a solid mastery over all basic forms of magic and have walked the path of the flames." I said with a glare.

"How interesting. The path of the flames you say?" Mother spoke with an amused grin.

"Yes! I've been trained by the strongest Pyromancer in existence! My mana flame has never burned brighter!" I said proudly.

"I guess we'll see how true that statement is when you continue your fights." Father grinned.

"I fully intend to." I said before walking away from them with an angered look.

"Oh and Clyde. " My father called back. I turned my head and glared at him.

"What?" I asked harshly.

"Tu eres...un...fracaso…" My father said in a slow voice.

My pupils dilated and my body shook furiously. I wanted to lash out but decided that it would be an unwise choice. I turned away and continued walking.

My head spun as thoughts filled my mind. The fact that they came all this way just to see me fail pissed me off to no end. I'd show them just how far I've come. I'm not that same little boy that cried all the time. I'm a mage in training, on his way to becoming a Grand Spellcaster.

(GABBY'S POV)

"Hi, uh...can I get two bottles of Neptune water. Oh and a bunch of Flaming Hot Fire Fries!" I said. I don't know why but Shiro got me hooked to those dumb fries.

"Sure thing little lady. Just give me one moment to get those fries ready." Said the cashier.

As I waited around for my order, a random guy bumped into me. I turned and glared at him. What's the big idea, jackass?!" I asked said guy. I looked at him with narrowed eyes. My eyes widened a bit when I got a good look at him. He was slightly taller than me and had pale skin. He was wearing a light grey hoodie with a black and white leather jacket. His hood was on his head, covering his bright, silvery hair. His dark green eyes held a hint of mystery inside of them. They didn't seem annoyed, angry or sinister. They were soft yet cautious. This left me feeling uneasy. I tried not to stare at him for to long as the heat rose to my face.

He raised a brow at me and let out a sigh. Even though it was pretty warm in this realm, his breath was still visible as if it was freezing cold. "I'm...Sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention." He said.

"...Yeah well um...It's fine...Just watch it next time…" I said while trying and failing to sound intimidating. I had noticed that he was staring at me and decided to confront him about it. "What?"

His eyes seemed to widen a bit. "S...sorry. I just never talked to a girl as pretty as you." He said.

A blush crept up my face and I tried not to feel flattered but his gentle yet rough voice was as smooth as ice and his words made my knees go weak. I snapped outta my little trance and looked at him.

"W...what?!" I asked, still not fully believing what he said.

"You're very pretty. The most beautiful girl I have ever met before. Please forgive me. I know that I'm being a little forward but I can't help it. I also saw your match and I must say that I was very impressed with your abilities. You have a strong will and a warrior's heart. A woman like you is just otherworldly. You truly are a goddess to say the least." The guy said to me with red on his cheeks.

I couldn't help but smile lightly at that. Even though I never even met him, he had a strange effect on me. It was so weird.

"I'm Gabriella Vasquez, but my friends call me Gabby." I told him. He seemed nice enough. Not to mention that he was unbelievably handsome.

"Im Zero. I know it may be weird but just roll with it." He said.

I giggled at his name. "Is that actually your name or is it a nickname?"

"It's been my name for as long as I can remember." He said with a small grin.

"Where are you from?" I asked.

"I came all the way from Frost Park. You know Xeto, right?" He asked me.

I nodded to him. "Yeah. He's the Cryomancer that's related to my friend's mentor." I said back.

"Well Xeto was originally my old teacher. He taught me everything I know about the powers of ice." He said to me.

"Really? Then how come you didn't compete?"

He chuckled at my question. "I couldn't do that. It'd be unfair to the competitors if they had to face me. Judging by everyone's mana essence, I'd say only two people stand out and I believe that you're acquainted with them both." He said.

"Really? Who?"

"The first guy is the one that I came here to see. He's supposed to be my rival. The one that may take on Master Xeto's training. Clyde Yukio...He's the guy that I'm waiting to fight. I wish to see if he's up to par with all the talk going around about an up and coming prodigy in the magic world." He said.

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Clyde is very skilled with magic and takes it very seriously. I don't think anyone trains harder than him when it comes to spells. He also trained with Xeto's brother and mastered pyromancy in a matter of months. He's amazing."

"Your fries are done miss." Said the cashier. I smiled and handed the cashier a coupon that Xena gave to us for food.

"Thank you." I said to the cashier.

"That other boy...Shiro Tatsugami...He was losing but then managed to come back with that strange power. Soul energy...I've never seen that being used before. I heard that it was forbidden. It's insane to think that he has such little mana but can fight someone like Mezuku with relative ease." He said.

"Shiro is pretty strong in his own way as well...Oh crap! I forgot about my friends!" I said frantically. Me and Shiro were supposed to be or at least I assume that we're together. And yet here I am, flirting with this incredibly good looking guy behind his back. God, I'm so stupid! "Sorry Zero, but I have to go!" I said quickly before taking off with the fries.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Damn Clyde! What's got you so pissed off?" I asked the blonde.

"..." He stayed quiet. His face held a deep scowl. He was pissed and I wasn't sure why.

"Are you ok Clyde?" Izzy asked.

"..." He was still silent.

"Clyde-" Izzy tried to reach out and place a hand on his shoulder, but Clyde's body surrounded itself with flames.

"I'M FINE!" He yelled at her, causing Izzy to wince.

"Whoa! Calm down dude. You're going _way_ too far!" I said while stepping in front of Izzy.

"TOO FAR?! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TOO FAR?! YOU ALMOST KILLED YOU LAST OPPONENT!" He shouted.

"That was an accident! Sort of..." I barked back.

"Hmph! Whatever Tatsugami...I'm not dealing with your bullshit right now. Just piss off or I'll roast you where you stand!" He threatened.

"I don't know what's up with you, but you better get out your feelings or else I'll knock the crap outta you myself!" I challenged back. He scoffed and turned away. Just then, Gabby came back with a strange look on her face. Her cheeks were red as if she was embarrassed. In her hands was a bag of fire fries. "Hey Gabs...Wait, where's my water?" I asked.

"Huh?!" She seemed to notice that she didn't have it. "Damnit! I forgot. Sorry Shiro…"

"Nah, it's all good." I said with a grin before walking up to her. She hung her head low as if she was trying to avoid me. "Hey...are you alright babe?"

"N...No! I'm fine...Don't worry about me." She kissed my cheek and smiled. "Shiro…"

"Yeah…" I replied back.

"What do you see us as? What exactly are we?"

My heartbeat increased. My eyes widened and for a moment, I couldn't speak. I wanted to say that she was my girlfriend but mind mind kept going back to my future self's warning. Gabby and I don't last very long. He told me that I wasn't meant to be with here. I kept thinking that it'd be best if I just avoided the later heartbreak...but deep down, I wanted to try.

"Gabby...I want you to know that no matter what happens...I will still cherish our friendship…" I said. WHY DID I SAY THAT!

"W...What?!" She asked, slightly angry.

"N...No! That didn't come out right! I want you to be mine! I really care about you Gabby! I just…" My mind went to my previous match and how I almost turned that guys face into mush.

"You just what Shiro?!" She asked me with a worried look.

"I...I...I DON'T WANNA HURT YOU!!!" I shouted.

"What're you talking about?!" She asked.

"Gabby…" I held her in my arms and looked at her. "I don't know…"

She pushed me off of her and glared. "So all that sweet talk was just you not being sure!"

"No! Listen Gabby! I need you to know that I really want to love you, but I...I'm scared…" I muttered.

"Scared of what?!" She asked, getting more pissed of.

"Of losing you! I don't know how I'll take it. I might…" I couldn't even finish.

Her face seemed to soften a bit. "Shiro...I'm not going anywhere. If you're afraid that someone will hurt me then drop it. I can protect myself." She said.

"No...That's not what I meant…" I said to her.

"Shiro I'm confused. Why are you being so-"

"Gabby!" Said and unfamiliar voice.

"Zero!" She said with surprise as she turned and looked at the guy with silver hair.

"Zero? Who the hell…" I grumbled.

"Hey Gabby. You left your waters at the snack stand so I thought that you'd still want them." He said to her with a smile. That kinda irked me.

"Oh thanks, Zero." She said to him.

I moved forward and stepped in between the two. "So...Who's your friend?" I asked her.

"This is Zero. I met him at the snack stand. He's Xeto's first student." She said with a nervous smile. I could see Clyde looking back with sudden interest. "Zero, this is...my friend Shiro." Owch…

I stood in front of him with a serious gaze. He returned the look. We were both mentally sizing each other up. He gave off a chilling blue aura and I gave off a sinister purple one.

I guess Gabby was sensing the tension because she cleared her throat. "So...Zero, would you like to join us at ring side. Clyde's gonna start the next match against Nikko."

His hardened state softened and he sighed, letting his breath show. "Sorry Gabby, but I can't. I have to return to Master Xeto. I'll be watching your fights from up there." He said while pointing to the Judgment booth. He brushed past me and stood in front of Gabby. He lifted his hand and formed a rose made of ice.

"Z...Zero?! What's this for?" She asked.

"Something to keep me in your thoughts." He said as he handed it to her. She took it and smiled.

"Thanks Zero." She said which made my blood boil.

"Good luck in your upcoming matches." He said before turning around. As he walked past, I felt the temperature dropped to below zero for a split second. I brushed the frost off of me and glared. I looked back at the blushing Gabby and sighed. I am an idiot.

"WE WILL NOW BEGIN THE SECOND ROUND!" The pixie shouted.

Clyde wasted no time hopping up onto the stage. He kept his glare as he awaited for his opponent. Everyone waited but Nikko never came.

"...Well, in an unexpected turn of events...Clyde Yukio will advance to the semifinals!" Pixie lady yelled.

Clyde scoffed and landed back down beside me. The next round was Gabby vs some guy named Azukahr. Azukahr used a plethora of magical Egyptian relics including the Ankh Shield which was was able to negate any sort of attack. This left Gaaby irritated and forced her to use her strongest sword, the Iron Libra. Her sword was able to cut through the shield but left her body strained leaving her unable to attack and finish off her foe. Azukahr was in a similar boat due to the amount of mana that he used to maintain his Ankh Shield. They were both at a stalemate. The judges ruled Azukahr the winner but gave Gabby her well deserved credit.

In the next fight, Izzy faced off against a girl that could use stealth magic. The girl continuously used her invisibility to hit Izzy with a ton of sneak attacks. Izzy, getting frustrated decided to use her vampiric abilities. She used her heightened senses and unmatched awareness to hunt. She found her opponent with ease and punched her one good time in the gut, leaving her opponent dazed. After that, she kicked her in the air and smashed her into the ground leaving her unconscious.

Now we were on my fight. Me versus some douchebag named Dej Arlen. He was a master of dark magic. He summoned hordes of shadow monsters. Deciding that this was a great way to test my necromancy skills, I decided to summon my skeletal brute and powered her up with Soul energy. I sent her out to hack away at all of the monsters in order to create an opening for me to send a powered up punch to Dej's face. He looked back and glared. He transformed himself into a giant shadowy beast that my minion and I struggled with for a while. Once I punched a hole in its chest, I headbutted the shit outta Dej causing him to faint.

Now was the time for the real fighting to start. It was the semifinals. This was what would determine on whether or not I'd make it to the finals. The only one that stood in my way was Izzy. We locked eyes from ringside. Before looking back at Clyde's one sided match. He completed decimated Azukahr. Not only did he break his shield with his mana essence alone, but he also one shot him with a wind spell. He was seriously pissed off about something and part of me really hoped that he'd fight Izzy and not me. Then I thought about how fucked up that is and decided to try hard against Izzy.

"Don't hold anything back Izzy! Give me your best shot!" I shouted to her. Her vampiric smirk made my heart pang. Never forget…

"You got it Shiro!" She had spread her wings and flew at me with supersonic speed. I sprinted back with equal speed and engaged in multiple attacks. We went back and forth. I struck her in her face and she kneed me in the chest. I backflipped away and charged up a small blast in my hands. I took aim and sent straight towards her. With grace and speed combined, she dodged it and twirled right next to me. She then moved her lips to my ear.

"Oh Shiro...Do me a favor…" She said.

"What?" I asked as if we weren't in a fight.

"Please...Help Clyde. I don't know what's gotten into him and I'm worried. You two are rivals so…" She stopped for a moment. "Knock some sense into him." She flew back and smiled at me. "I forfeit!" She said. I looked at her with a sigh. I guess that's how it is huh…

Clyde looked at me with a harsh glare to which I glared back. It was just me and him now. I was ready for a fight. I wanted nothing more than to fight him and get his head thinking straight again.

I hopped off the stage and stared at Izzy and she gave me a sad smile. I then looked at Gabby as she held a sad look directed towards the ice rose in her hand. I felt so bad for not speaking the right words, but in the end, I only spoke the truth. Then I thought back to the Zero guy. I already didn't like his stupid face! If Clyde was pissed off, then so was I!

The pixie flew to the center of the stage. "We will now kickstart the finale of the tournament! This will be the final matchup. Clyde Yukio…" The crowd cheered loudly for him. "Versus Shiro Tatsugami!" I got nothing but boos…

Both Clyde and I looked at each other with solid looks of determination. Neither one of us showing fear or weakness. This was it...This was the time to give it everything that I've got!

I channeled and overwhelming amount of Soul energy and let it surround me. Clyde flashed his amazing amounts of mana making it slightly hard to breathe for the crowd. His mana flared up even more, going beyond his previous displays of power.

"Mages...Let the battle BEGIN!"


	26. The Hot Conclusion

"CLYDE!!!" Shiro yelled at the top of his lungs as he pushed forward using Soul energy.

"SHIRO!!!" Clyde shouted ferociously as he used wind magic to blast towards his adversary.

Both met head on and and engaged in a power struggle. Neither one willing to back down. Clyde had thought ahead and decided to slowly heat up the palm of his hands. Shiro took note of this and slammed his forehead into Clyde's, causing him to let go and stagger back. Shiro took advantage of this and hit him with a powered up kick to the gut. Clyde held his stomach and glared at Shiro.

"Ward of Binding: Chains of Retribution!" Clyde shouted as thick glowing chains shout forward and at Shiro. Said person was jumping around and sliding all over the place in order to avoid them.

Shiro stopped for a moment and jumped up straight into the air and drove down to smashed his fist into stage floor. This created a few minor tremors that caused Clyde to lose balance. Clyde held his ground and and slammed both of his hands on the ground.

"Hmph...Another stupid spell, huh?" Shiro scoffed.

"Ward of Earth: Crushing Spires!" Large spikes of rock shot from ground towards Shiro.

"If that's all you've got then this fight is pretty much over." Shiro scoffed before using a series of flips to narrowly avoid the rocks.

Clyde had prepa for this and lifted up both of his hands. "Ward of Wind: Hurricane Force!"

Monstrously large blasts of wind pushed Shiro back. Shiro crashed through a few of the rocks causing further injury.

When he climbed back up to his feet, Clyde was looking down on him with a dark expression. He lifted Shiro up by his shirt and placed a hand on his chest.

"...Shit... " Shiro muttered before receiving a full on charge of electricity from Clyde's palm.

Shiro let out a pained shout before he punched he charged up more of his Soul energy and punched Clyde square in his face. Clyde's head whipped back and he dropped Shiro to the floor.

Clyde had glared down at Shiro and Shiro sent him a smirk. Using a burst of raw power, Shiro lunged off of the ground and threw a fist at Clyde. In the blink of an eye, Clyde had managed to put up a wall of stone to block the punch. Shiro's fist lost its momentum but did still manage to punch clean through the rock which caught Clyde off guard.

Clyde jumped back and held a hand out. He blasted a wave of light at Shiro who just slapped it away and sprinted forward. Clyde glared as he clenched both fists. "Ward of Lightning: Amped Up Discharge!"

"Amped up what?" Shiro asked as he continued to run. He ended heading straight into an explosive wave of electricity. Shiro's body shook due to the intense electrocution. He was temporarily paralyzed. This gave Clyde enough time to charge up his next attack.

He placed one hand on the ground and narrowed his eyes as he forced out more mana. "Summoning Spell: Sea Emperor, Megalodon!" A large body of water formed in the center of the stage. That wasn't the strange thing though. What was really weird was the hundred foot shark that came out of it. The shark was able to levitate in the air which made the whole encounter more unsettling.

The shark looked back with and intense glare. "Human mortal! What have you awakened me?!" He asked Clyde harshly.

Clyde returned the glare and sighed. "I need a quick assist for this fight."

"I am an all powerful sea spirit! I do not plan to interject in the petty squabbles of human filth." The shark said assertively.

"I was able to summon you so you must know that I'm worthy of you power!" Clyde retorted.

"You are a child! I refuse to be used for meaningless games!"

"Just help me out! I only really need one attack anyway." Clyde said.

"...Very well. You shall receive ONE of my attacks." The shark said.

Shiro was practically sweating at this point as he continued to struggle out of the paralysis.

"Ward of Waves: Towering Tsunami!" Clyde shouted. The shark's head rose as an enormous tidal wave came rushing towards Shiro.

Shiro's eyes widened as he grit his teeth. "B...body...don't got quitting on me yet!" He surrounded himself in purple static. Before the wave could hit him, he slammed himself underground. As the large wave crashed against the floor, Clyde dropped to one knee. He gasped with exhaustion as due to his constant use of mana.

The shark looked back and Clyde with a grim look. "That attack was not enough to finish your opponent."

"What?!" Clyde asked with irritation.

"That other child...He is quite resourceful. You'd best be on your guard." The sea spirit began to descend into the glowing body of water. This caused Clyde to glare. He looked around but couldn't find Shiro.

"Damn him!" Clyde growled. He kept scanning the area until he heard a rumbling noise from below him. Before he could even react, a quick fist flew up from the ground and clocked Clyde in his chin. Clyde flew back and landed on his back. He looked up and growled at Shiro.

"What's up with you dude? Something just ain't right about this. I don't know, but I feel like you're holding back…" Shiro said.

"Tch...I don't know what you're talking about you idiot." Clyde replied as he climbed to his feet.

Shiro continued to ponder his thoughts. "That's it! You're not using your fire! Isn't that like your best magic? Why not go all out?!"

"Don't get so full of yourself Shiro. I don't need my fire to beat you! You don't even have any mana! The fact that you came this far was a damn fluke! You're nothing without that damn Soul energy!" Clyde hissed.

"..." Shiro stayed silent, letting Clyde ramble on.

"I'd of beaten you easily. Even back at Necro Fall I would've killed you had it not been for that stupid little trump card ability that you have! It's nothing but a cop out! Meanwhile I train to strengthen my mana. All you have to do is get upset and throw a goddamn hissy fit!" Clyde glared.

I sighed. "You have no idea what it's like having to use a power like this because you can't use what essentially everyone else can! I grew up disappointing my father, my sister, my entire kingdom, and at times even those that I call my...friends." Shiro directed that last part at Gabby. "You don't know what it's like to be reminded of how much of a failure you are every single day."

Clyde's eye twitched. "I don't know? You stupid son of a bitch! I've known it all my life! Don't you dare try and compare your life to mine! I never got the chance to succeed! I had to leave my home because I was shunned for my actions. Actions that I thought were the right thing to do! Your screw ups are selfish and don't help any fucking body!"

Shiro glared hell and Clyde. Purple static surrounded him. "What could I have possibly wanted to gain from watching everyone I care about DIE?!"

~ ** _WHAM_** ~

A loud, booming sound could be heard after Shiro slammed his fist into Clyde's chest, causing him to gasp. Clyde slid across the floor. He slowly got back up and glared when he noticed Shiro standing directly in front of him.

"..." Clyde went wide eyed when he saw Shiro's wet face.

"I LOST EVERYTHING!" Shiro yelled.

~ ** _WHAM_** ~

Clyde's head bounced off the stage floor after Shiro decked him in the face. His lips were bleeding at a constant rate. Shiro didn't even give Clyde the chance to get up. He grabbed him by his mage robe and narrowed his eyes.

"You know the worst part about it. I end up losing everything all over again…" He said as cocked his fist back.

Clyde's hands shot forward and he force palmed Shiro off of him. "Your problems are your own. I have my own goals that I have to accomplish. You just another obstacle that I have to overcome no matter what it takes!"

"I knew you were an arrogant dick but damn you starting to piss me off."

"Enough talking Shiro! I plan on ending this fight. I never got to finish you off last time."

Shiro rolled his eyes. "Fine then. Ain't shit left to say anyway…"

-Up in the Judgment Booth-

"Such interesting boys. I had no idea they'd be this powerful." Xeto said with a small smirk.

"Well Clyde did train with me. Just you wait till he uses his pyromancy!" Xeno spoke.

"That Shiro boy...I feel as if I sensed not just his presence, but also another one similar in the world. I can't explain it but it's like there's two of him." Dex said.

"That would probably be me." Tatsu suddenly said, shocking everyone in the booth.

"Who the hell is that?!" Xeno shouted with panic.

"Tatsu? I didn't expect you to actually still come." Xena said.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late. He to do a thing. So what'd I miss?" He asked before staring down at the center stage and watching watching his younger self fighting Clyde. "Wow, those two are really going at it!"

"Might I ask who exactly you are?" Dex spoke.

"You mean the resemblance isn't clear? I'm Shiro Tatsugami!" He said.

"But I thought that the kid was Shiro." Zero spoke. He was leaning on a nearby wall with his arms crossed.

"I'm from the future. I had to come back in time with a little chronomancy." Tatsu said.

"Chronomancy?! But that's not possible. Only one chronomancer exists!" Xeto said.

"While that is technically true, the one still alive in this timeline will end up training me...well the younger me…" Tatsu explained.

"So how strong are you?" Zero asked.

"Well think of it like this. In my timeline and my other half destroys everything and everyone. He erased humanity from existence, he slayed the Greek and Hindu gods, he murdered the God of Heaven, then destroyed Heaven anyway, he took over Hell after killing the Devil Kings and then blew it all up and now there's no life or afterlife. Every soul is now forever apart of him and is trapped in Limbo. To compare me to him, I'd say that I'm just as strong with less destructive powers…" Tatsu said causing everyone to stare at him.

"T...that strong...So is that kid gonna turn out like you?" Zero asked, slightly shaken up.

"Hmm...If my plan goes accordingly, then no. He should never have to get to this level of strength. Then again, history has a weird way of repeating itself. Even though this timeline's Shiro and Clyde are already much more different than in my timeline, they are both steadily closing the power gap."

"So they'll be worthy of a fight…" Zero spoke with an excited grin.

"Well, I'm gonna head out. I just thought that I'd stop by and see what was happening." Tatsu said before teleporting away.

"Such a strange guy…" Xeno said before returning to the fight.

"...Clyde was able to summon a high rank water element BattleBeast. That feat alone deserves praise." Xeto said.

"He was also able to use mid to high tier electrical spells with ease. His utility spells aren't exactly flawed either." Dex said.

"I did teach him the solid foundation of magic. He knows his basics and he has a good grasp on lightning based attacks and defense." Xena said.

"How interesting. With a little work, he'll be able to grasp cryomancy in no time." Xeto said. This caused Zero to narrow his eyes a bit.

"He is a true prodigy indeed. I may actually be inclined to keep tabs on this boy. Him and and Shiro." Dex said.

Zero continued to look at both fighters. "I just might get a good fight sooner than I expected…"

-Back on the tournament stage-

Shiro zipped around Clyde with enhanced speed. During his movements, he was able to land about seventy three punches within the span of five seconds. This left Clyde annoyed. As Shiro tries to go in for another quick set of punches, Clyde slammed him down to the floor. Shiro, while still on the ground did a windmill and tripped Clyde to the floor.

Shiro did a few backhandsprings to gain distance from Clyde. His hands glowed purple and his aura flared up.

"This better work!" Shiro shouted as he ran forward at breakneck speeds. As Clyde got back up, he noticed Shiro standing directly behind him. Before he could move he noticed that he was wrapped up thin, glowing, purple strings.

"What the hell is this?" He asked Shiro.

"This is phase one. My Soul Strands." He said before shoving his heel up into Clyde's chin, pushing him into the air! Shiro vanished from sight and reappeared directly into front of the wrapped up Clyde. "This is phase two." Shiro axe handled Clyde downward and into the ground. "Here's the finale!" Shiro took a deep inhale. "This is my first time trying this out so bare with me." Before anyone could process the current events, Shiro spewed out a large stream of bright purple flames down on Clyde. The flames engulfed the entire stage.

Everyone thought it was all over for the mage, but they'd only end up surprised to see him standing there without a hint of damage from the strange fire.

"You call that fire? You just keep letting people down Tatsugami…" Clyde shrugged.

"What did you just say, ashole?!" Shiro shouted as he land back down.

"That didn't even tickle…" Clyde smirked.

"Oh shut up that was my first time trying out that Elemental Dracomancy…" Shiro scoffed.

"Pretty pathetic if you ask me." Clyde said.

"Well I DIDN'T ask you so piss off." Shiro said. "Speaking of fire, when are you gonna use yours? You want beat me the way you are now. You're just blowing through your mana and it's not even doing anything significant. Quit holding back!"

"No...I don't need it to beat you!" Clyde said.

That's when Shiro punched him across his face. "You piece of shit! You call yourself MY rival? You won't even take me seriously when I'm kicking you ass!"

"Tch...Like I said before, don't get so confident." Clyde hissed back.

"Why shouldn't I be? I mean, you let me do stuff like this." Without any sort of warning, Shiro kicked Clyde in his chest and made him smash into one of the still standing rock spires. Within seconds he had Clyde tied firmly against it. "Now, you're gonna take me seriously…" Shiro started before pouring a huge amount of energy into his right hand. "...Or you're going night night you prick!" Shiro sprinted forward with his fist balled up and glowing brightly. "MAKE YOUR MOVE CLYDE!!!"

Clyde's heart race as Shiro was quickly closing the distance. His body continued to struggle but it was no use. He sighed and narrowed his eyes. "You want my flames so badly...Then fine. Just remember that you asked for this Shiro…" Clyde's body began to heat up at and incredible rate. The entire stadium engulfed in a heat wave. His body glowed bright orange as if he were a miniature sun. Clyde looked forward. His eyes were now a sunrise orange just like how Xeno's would be when he got serious.

"Holy shit… " Shiro said as he stopped and stared at the glowing Clyde.

" ** _HHHRRRRRRAAAAAAAAA_**!!!" Clyde shouted as he finally let loose his true power. He burned the soul strands away with the intense flames that surrounded him. Clyde smirked at him.

"Talk about hot headed." Shiro joked with a grin. "It's about time that you got serious!"

"Still as dimwitted as ever. You're cracking jokes while I'm at full power. You are the dumbest of idiots, you know that." Clyde said.

"Whatever...It's time I get active too!" Shiro smirked. He began to charge up his energy tenfold. The static surrounding him whipped around my violently. His eye were purple and his hair swayed wildly. His tattered shirt ripped clean off. His muscles bulging as strange markings appeared on his skin. They glowed a bright purple as he breathed.

"So this is it, huh…" Clyde spoke.

"Sure is…" Shiro said back.

-At ringside-

Gabby and Isabel stared at the two with looks of awe. Both looked intense and seemed more powerful than ever.

"You willing to place any bets?" Gabby asked her friend.

"I'm gonna go with Shiro on this one. I've never seen him look like that before."Isabel said.

"Really? I gotta go with Clyde. Fire is his best element. Plus, I can tell by the amount of mana that he's giving off that he's serious now." Gabby explained.

"I guess we'll have to see." Isabel stated.

-In the stadium seats-

"Those two really know how to put on a show…" Eliza said as she rubbed her temples.

"They are quite strong for their age. Clyde was expected to get this far, but Shiro has very little mana. His abilities are most unusual." Amora said as she scratched behind Vizeron's ears.

"That kid is a bit of a mystery…" Eliza spoke.

"KICK HIS ASS BETA MALE!!!" Viz howled.

-In the Judgment Booth-

"YES!!! My student has finally shown off his incredible flames! This match is as good as over now!" Xeno shouted with pride.

"Such intensity. I can't believe that they are both just teenagers! This fight is truly heating up!" Xeto said.

"It's all or nothing now. I can tell that they are both at their limits. Neither one can maintain that much raw power for extended periods of time." Xena spoke.

"The boy with little mana has been able to stand against a prodigious genius like Clyde. Just how powerful must that Soul energy be in order to match pure mana?" Dex spoke.

Zero continued to stare at the to with an engaged look on his face. He couldn't help but find the two of them fascinating.

-Back on the stage-

Neither dared to say a singular word. They only stared and watch the other's movements intently. After moments of staring, both disappeared from the eyes of those watching. A second later, a thunderous shockwave was heard. Up in the sky, both fighters could be seen trading blows. Every hit could be felt by the audience.

Clyde smacked Shiro down to the ground. He landed down easily and smirked. Shiro landed on his feet and glared at Clyde as the mage unleashed a barrage of small fireballs.

"Tch...That all you got?" Shiro said as he walked forward. The blasts seemed to barely affect him. The flames seemed to bounce off of him as he continued to move closer to Clyde.

As Clyde realized that his attack wasn't working, he quickly dropped his blasts and launched a huge blast at Shiro. Shiro held out his hand and fired off a small blast of Soul energy. When the two blasts collided, a large explosion formed and smoke covered the area and hid both fighters.

The smoke soon cleared showing Shiro holding Clyde in his grasp. He punched Clyde away. Clyde twisted away and landed on his feet. The minute Clyde looked up he was met with a heavy drop kicked to the face. Clyde skidded back and upped his flames to near deadly levels. His fire spread around the stage and he grinned.

"That's it! It's over for you Shiro!" Clyde yelled as he clasped his hands together. "You lose!"

"You really think that?" Shiro asked as his purple static once again surged.

"Ward of Flames…" Clyde started as a bright little sun formed into his hand. The heat in the area went up to near unbearable temperatures.

"So that's your plan, huh?" Shiro said. As he grabbed his right forearm. The purple static shifted to his right arm. Purple aura surrounded him and powered him up.

Clyde stomped his foot on the ground creating a narrow pathway for his attack to travel by using earth magic.. "Time's up Tatsugami! BLAZING INFERNO!!!" Clyde forward his insanely large amount of solar energy at Shiro.

"I WON'T LOSE TO YOU CLYDE!!!" Shiro yelled as he pushed forward. The large blast hit him but he continued to run head on. He charged through it regardless of the burning sensation on his skin. He closed the distance and reeled his fist back. Right before he could thrust his punch, Clyde unleashed the rest of his mana and exploded right in his face.

Clyde's blast erupted and the entire stage exploded leaving nothing but rubble. The crowd looked up and saw the destruction with wide eyes. When the smoke cleared, both Clyde and Shiro were standing right in front of each other. Clyde had a look of shock as Shiro's fist was less than a centimeter in front of his face. Shiro's head was down and his body had steam rising from it.

"..." Clyde was speechless.

"Y...you...still...suck…" Shiro muttered before collapsing to the floor, unconscious. The crowd went wild and let out screams of praise to Clyde. Meanwhile Clyde was still in shock at how close he was to getting beaten.

"SHIRO TATSUGAMI IS OUT COLD! THE WINNER IS CLYDE YUKIO!!!" The pixie shouted.

-In the Judgment Booth-

"Did you see that Xeto?! He used MY signature attack to finish the fight! I knew that this world be the outcome." Xeno said.

Zero stared hard at Clyde. His light blue aura flared and the wall he was leaning on began to freeze over. "Hmph...So it's decided. Master Xeto, you will train the mage, correct?"

"Of course. He had promise indeed." Xeto said to his first student.

Zero grinned. "Then it's a known fact that he will the one that I face." He looked back at Clyde and his eyes flashed light blue for a brief moment. "Clyde Yukio...You'll be my first rival."

-At Ringside-

"Aw man! Shiro lost…" Isabel muttered.

"Yep. Just like I thought. Shiro's Shiro's strong but Clyde's too much of a mage to lose a competition like this." Gabby said.

-In the ring-

Dex, Xena, Xeno, Xeto and Zero had levitated to the center stage next to Clyde.

"Congratulations Clyde." Xena said with a proud smile.

"You fought most admirably young Yukio! I'm proud to call you my first student!" Xeno praised.

"Yes. My brother is correct. You took down your opponent with much skill. I'd be honored to have you under my wing and teach you about cryomancy." Xeto spoke.

Zero walked up to Clyde with a wide grin. "I will finally have a worthy challenger. Listen to me Clyde. I want you to train hard with Xeto. Once your training is completed, you and I will fight to see which of us is stronger."

"Ok…" Clyde said, slightly

"Clyde Yukio...Step forward and claim you prize!" Dex said sternly.

"...Yes sir!" Clyde walked over to Dex.

Dex lifted up his hand. A bright little star formed and he handed it to Clyde. "To you, I bestow the Mana Star."

The moment I hit Clyde's hand, it was absorbed into his skin. Clyde glowed brightly and his mana not only recovered, but also increased in power. His mana flame also had a drastic increased in potency.

"...No...I needed that...I...I'm not...done…" Said a shaky voice.

Clyde looked down and saw the burnt and bloody hand of Shiro. The boy was a complete mess. He looked as if he were on the verge of death.

"How the hell are you still...wait…" Clyde's eyes widened and his blood ran cold.

The whole arena went silent as they stared at Shiro. His eyes held little life in them. He legitimately almost died and yet he still tried to fight against him.

"W...why? Why are you…" Clyde was genuinely confused. Shiro's head slammed down onto the floor.

"We need a medic out here!" The pixie shouted.

Isabel jumped up and pushed past everyone. She quickly kneeled down in order to work her magic. Eliza and Amora ran down to inspect the damage.

"Goddamn!" Eliza gasped.

"Stand aside Isabel. I shall assist you." Amora said as she too began to heal the boy.

-The Next Day-

(SHIRO'S POV)

 _It was dark...I was so cold...I couldn't move. I just felt...empty…_ _"Shiro...You need to wake up…" Said a soothing woman's voice._ _"Who said that?" I asked_ _"Shh...Not now Shiro...We can't meet yet but we will soon. Very very soon…" The voice said._ _"What? Why?!" I asked._ _"I'll see you later Shiro. Now wake up." She said._

I snapped my eyes open and looked at my surroundings. I was laying down on a soft bed in a familiar room. Next to me was Vizeron who was sleeping soundly. I slowly cut up and saw that I was sleeping in Clyde's bed. I sighed to myself and lifted the sheets off.

"...Guess he's not a complete asshole…" I muttered. I climbed out of the bed and headed out of the room.

I continued walking until I bumped into Tatsu who was com from Eliza's room. I stared at him and he grinned.

"Uh...What's up?" He asked me.

"Well...What the hell happen after the tournament? Did I win?!" I asked.

"Heheh...heheeheh...hahaa...HAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Tatsu began cracking up. He was practically crying.

"Wow...It's that funny?" I asked.

"Ah...Ahem! No...No you didn't win." He said.

"Damn!" I hissed. Where's Clyde at? He wasn't in the room when I woke up." I asked.

"Oh right…He went to with Xeto to train at Frost Park. Izzy, Xena and Amora tagged along to help him along the way. Gabby...well she went to go hang out with Zero so…"

"WHAT?!" I shouted.

"What did I tell you. It was only a matter of time." He said.

"When did they leave?!" I asked with haste.

"Three days ago."

"THREE DAYS?! How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Five days…"

I dropped to the floor and held my head with frustration. "No no no! I can't lose Gabby! I need her...but maybe this is for the best. I still can't fully control my Soul energy. " I said.

"Oh yeah…that reminds me. You're gonna resume your training with me and Eliza. This time with no form of distractions. You'll need to be prepared for your next fight." Future me spoke.

"Next fight? Who's ass do I gotta kick?" I asked.

"You need to be ready to fight Zero." He said.

I clenched my fist. "...I won't let you down Tatsu. I'll give it my all!" I said with motivation. "If I fuck him up, Gabby will see how cool I am and love me again!"

"...Yeah uh...Don't get your hopes up kid…" Tatsu said but I ignored him.

"Let's do this!" I shouted.


	27. In Preparation

(CLYDE'S POV)

It had been a rough process trying learn cryomancy so far. Xeto had been a very intense teacher, regardless of his laid back attitude. He hadn't shown me any mercy whatsoever. One minute he was forcing me to run up a frozen mountain, the next moment, he was telling me constantly to concentrate.

The main issue with cryomancy was that it revolved around more precise control of your mana. I was adept at using pyromancy which required the ability to let your mana loose and have it spread. Both were so different from each other. It was gonna take some getting used to.

It had been the end of day fifty of my training. I had been sparring Xeto with only the use of my low level cryomancy. He gave me less than one percent of his power in order to keep things fair. Xena and Isabel motivated me to push myself so I did without any complaints. Xeto would praise my considerable effort and would constantly evaluate my growth.

"Master Xeto...I think that I'm ready for some actual technique training. I want to be able to use some of your actual skills in combat." I said to him.

"Hmm...I suppose that you're at an adequate level to begin your technique training. We'll start off with something simple." Xeto said before lifting his hand. A faint mist surrounded it. "I want you to use the Flash Freeze spell on that rock." He said.

"But isn't that only a beginner spell?" I asked.

"Only to a beginner. To an expert…" Xeto thrusted his hand forward. Within seconds the rock was completely encased in a solid block of ice. "...It's a must use skill."

I stared in awe at his display. "Incredible…"

"Go on ahead and start working hard on mastering that spell." He said.

I nodded to him and got right to work. My first couple of attempts resulted in only a mere chilling of the rock, then slowly progressed into frost. I kept working towards my goal of complete ice. As I was training, I decided to stir up a conversation.

"So...Master Xeto…"

"Yeah Clyde?" He responded.

"Who exactly is Zero? He's such a weird guy but I can tell that he's really strong. I guess that I should know more about him if I'm destined to fight." I said while still focusing on my training.

"Zero is...Well he's very different. Up until recently, he's been isolated from others. He's calm and usually passive, but he can also snap very easily. That is when he's the most terrifying to those that aren't prepared to face him. He lives for a good fight but he tends to get carried away very quickly. Nobody fully knows where he came from. One day, he just showed up on a nearby volcano and frozen the damn thing. If it weren't for me, he'd never have full control over his cryomancy. When I first trained him, he was gifted and absolutely talented with ice. He wasn't able to get a grip on any other magic, but cryomancy for whatever reason stuck with him. He was very gifted and in my very opinion, his cryomancy can rival my own if I'm not careful." Xeto explained.

"He's that good…" I said feeling uneasy.

"I'll be honest with you Yukio, I don't foresee you surpassing him with cryomancy so don't even bother focusing on trying to power up. Use this training as a means to understand Zero's power. Remember, he only uses cryomancy so in terms of diversity, you have the advantage...but in a place like Frost Park, that won't really matter all that much. Cryomancers thrive in the cold and this is by far the coldest region on the planet." Xeto said.

I nodded to him. "I understand your words master. Thank you!" I said while continuing my training. I couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness. He was so much stronger than I was with cryomancy. I can't close that gap in only three months. I need to start strategizing. Our fight was set to begin soon. I only had about a month left to better myself. That Zero guy...He's something else…

(GABBY'S POV)

I felt so peaceful. It was strange to say in a place like this. Normally, I'd hate being in the cold but being here with Zero was oddly refreshing and comforting. He said that this place was seventy degrees below zero and yet I never felt the slightest bit cold around him. I felt warm even. It was such a weird thing to experience but at the same time, I didn't want to leave. I was currently inside of a large castle that Zero made completely out of ice. It was amazing and left me speechless. I'd never understand how he was able to make such creations like they were nothing. It blew my mind.

Zero walked through the large double doors and stepped closer to me. He had a smile on his face. I smiled back at him as he handed me a small cup of hot chocolate. I still wasn't sure where he'd got it from but I never minded it. These simple gestures would just make my heart flutter. I found it adorable how he'd try to hide his blushes and look away from me when I caught him staring. It sounds super girly but I guess that's just how he made me feel. I didn't ever really get the chance to feel like a real girl after the Red Death. Him being so sweet was such a nice change of pace.

We sat down together and talked for a little while. He was such an easy person to talk to. He wouldn't ever interrupt me and he'd actually listen. Whenever he would talk, he'd be shy at first but then warm up to the conversation. Today he decided to tell me something that he had never told anyone else before.

"Gabby, we're close right?" He asked me.

"Well duh! We've been hanging with each other for like a month and a half now. Why? What's wrong?" I asked. As time went on, I began to notice when something was on his mind.

"Can I trust you with something very important to me?" He asked.

"O...of course." I said.

He nodded. "I'm gonna tell you who I am...Where I'm from…" He said.

"Go ahead Zero. I'm listening…" I muttered softly.

He sighed. "Like I said, from what I can remember, my name has always been Zero. There was a reason I was named Zero though…" His expression dropped. He had a downcast look on his face as if he were uncomfortable with the topic.

"You can stop if you want to Zero. I understand if you're not ready to talk about it." I said before rubbing his back soothingly.

He shook his head. 'No...I want to tell you. I'm called Zero because that was what my objective was." He said.

I looked at him confused. "Your objective?"

"As a baby, I was blessed with an unbelievable amount of mana. So much so, that I was deemed a threat by the High Council or as you may know them, the Sacred Twelve." He said.

"Wait, you mean the most powerful angles that serve under God?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes. The council claimed that if I was to be raised by anyone that had ill intentions, I'd be a serious threat to humanity. In order to prevent this, they took me to a camp…" His eye began to twitch and he gripped his head.

"Zero are you alright?!" I was getting worried about him.

"The camp had multiple different kids, all with high amounts of mana. There were about eight hundred kids in the camp. The angles trained us to be their secret weapons against demons. Many of us were incredibly strong as it was, but the council decided that having so many human kids was a liability so in order to pick out the most efficient warriors. To do this, they put us all in one big chamber...That chamber...It was nothing but bloodshed." He said with tears streaming down his face.

"Zero…"

"I killed...every single kid that came near me. At the end of that nightmare, there were only five kids left. I was one of them. The angels decided that we were all that was needed. Out of all of us, I was the one with the most kills. Anyone that came my way would die...I dealt with that for my whole life. It's how they gave me my name Zero. It doesn't mean subzero...It's means that I leave Zero demons alive. I was a deadly weapon and I killed so many innocent, helpless kids...I'm a monster!" He yelled.

I wrapped my arms around him tightly. "It wasn't your fault Zero. They forced you to do that! You're a nice person. At least, to me you are." I said to him.

"T...thank you Gabby...It feels so good to tell someone that…" He sighed as he wiped away his tears.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Bastard ass PORTAL!!!" I growled at the tiny portal that I couldn't fit my hand through.

"Wow...That portal sucks ass!" Tatsu snickered.

"Fuck off!" I snapped.

"Aww, c'mon kid. You gotta learn how to use Fanny Pack style before it's too late!" He said.

"Man...Screw this! Teach me something else!" I demanded.

"Hmm...I suppose that I could teach you Trickster Technique...Or maybe even Doppelganger Style." He said.

"How?! My little bit of mana is making this a lot more difficult than it should be." I whined.

"Then don't use any mana. I didn't spend one month teach you how to control Soul energy for you to not use it!" He barked at me.

"...Ugh!" I grunted with annoyance. "FINE!" I held a hand out to create the small pocket dimension. Instead of just using my pathetic mana, I used some soul energy as well. The portal grew to be about half my height. "Was that really all I had to do?!"

"See? You struggled for nothing! Now I'd say that you deserve an actual break." Tatsu said before laying on the grass below him. I followed his lead and laid down next to him. "I really missed days like this. It's so much more peaceful."

"Yeah well, you're not the Shiro stressing over a fight!" I growled.

He then looked at me with a serious expression. "Tell me something kid. What are your goals looking like."

"Well for starters, I wanna kick the Red Man's ass! I guess before I do that, I wanna win Gabby back and apologize for my stupid mouth. I said something really stupid man!" I told him.

"Yeah...I know…" He said bluntly. "Look, I'd say don't worry about her man. It's just not worth it."

"I need you to tell me about this Zero guy. Do I even stand a chance against him?" I asked.

"Don't worry about him. You won't really be fighting alone. Clyde should be backing you up in this fight, then again, this timeline is already pretty confusing." He said.

"No thanks to you…" I muttered. He punched me and glared. I rubbed my now sore arm and glared back.

We both stayed quiet for a moment before he looked at me again. "Tell me something really quick...Did you hear anyone's voice recently? Mainly a chick's voice?" He asked.

"...Yeah...How'd you know that?!" I asked.

He then chuckled to himself. "Yep...She already found you…"

"What?! Who found me?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it. You'll meet her in like a few days anyway."

"You're an asshole!"

"Well to be fair...I am you." He grinned. I rolled my eyes at him. "Hey, you still remember Plan B, right?"

"Of course! Plan B is to build up my amazing harem, which you've somehow failed to do…"

Tatsu rolled his eyes. "I didn't exactly fail you know. They were killed. Executed to be exact. I wish that I could've saved them but at that point, I wasn't strong enough. I was still learning some of my best skills and my control over Soul energy paled in comparison to yours. I never had someone to teach me."

"So...Who was in this harem of yours…" I asked with a fat grin on my face. I had to know.

"Only the best fucking women in existence! Goddamn, I was one lucky son of bitch!" He said happily.

"How many we talkin' here?!" I asked.

"I dunno like twelve."

"TWELVE WOMEN?! FUCK YEAH!!!" I shouted happily. "How sexy are they?! Are their boobs big?! Do they smell good?!"

"Woah, relax kid! I think that you're overdoing it. You're gonna explode if you keep this up."

"I gotta know! What's their names? When do I get to meet them?!" I asked.

"You gotta wait. You'll get to see them all real soon, but I'm telling you now...You'll need to be a lot stronger if you want to protect them. They'll need you to be as strong as you can in order to fight the prick that got the ones in my timeline killed." He said. With that bit of knowledge, I got right up and resumed my intense training. I was NOT about to lose my second favorite dream!

As my training went on, Eliza began working her way into it. She would sharpen up my rogue skills and get me back into heavy combat. On top of that, Vizeron had begun his own training under Tatsu. Vizeron unlocked a few dope ass abilities that would prove to be helpful in the upcoming fight according to my future self.

After awhile of building up my body, enhancing my hand to hand combat skills, meditating in order to work on control and improving my stamina, Tatsu decided to give me two weapons to use for the fight and told me to practice with them.

The first weapon was a behemoth of a sword. The sword itself was already bigger than I was. The black blade of the sword was large and the hilt was long and had a nice grip. I loved the thing but had one gripe with it. The goddamn this was heavy as hell.

"How do you even carry this!?" I asked him.

He grabbed the sword and swung it around effortlessly. "Practice makes perfect, kid. If you want to be able to wield the legendary sword Black Inertia, you'll have to put in the effort."

"So what's so legendary about it?" I asked.

"You dickhead?! This is one of the strongest swords in existence!" He yelled at me.

"Can you explain why?! Damn…"

"How about I show you!" He raised the sword to the sky. "INERTIA!" He shouted. There was a brief pause. Nothing happened.

"...So what now?" I asked. Before I could even get an answer, the sword's blade doubled in length and width. I stared at it with wide eyes. "Holy shit!"

"INERTIA!" He shouted again. The already large blade doubled again. The large sword was now standing at 28 feet. "INERTIA!" He shouted again. The humongous sword now stood at 56 feet.

"How heavy is that damn thing?!" I asked.

"Think of it like this, for every foot this thing grows, a hundred pounds stacks onto it." He said before swinging the giant sword. I ducked down to avoid losing my head.

"Watch it, douchebag!"

He snickered. "This thing's pretty good ain't it."

"It would be if I could even swing it!"

"Well...Start off with it's base size. This thing is great for increasing your own natural strength. For me, I'd say I can grow this thing about twenty times before it's too heavy for me to swing." He said. The sword shrunk back down to regular size and he handed it to me. "See how far you can go."

"Ok...INERTIA!" The sword grew rapidly and I collapsed to the floor instantly. "Twenty times...That's super dead!"

Tatsu grinned at me. "Just stick with it. That thing is how I buffed up."

"Fine...Any other special weapon that I get to borrow before I kick Frosty's ass?"

"Yes actually...Here, I want you to take these." Tatsu reached into a portal and grabbed a pair of metal gloves and boots.

"The hell are those?!" I asked.

"The Gilgamesh Grips. Try em' on kid!" He said.

When I put the long metal gloves on with the boots, I felt them tighten to fit me. "They feel weird." I said.

He nodded. "As they should. Now go over to that rock and touch it very softly with singular finger." He said, pointing to a large, moss covered rock.

I stepped in front of the large boulder and tapped it as gently as I possibly could. As soon as I made contact, the rock completely shattered into rubble. I stared at my hands with wide eyes.

"How did I…The rock just...I barely touched it!" I said.

"That's their ability. The gloves and boots give you the wonderful power to say FUCK PHYSICS! Your hands have a perk that lets you manipulate kinetic energy. The boots help you oppose gravity, and control momentum. Force is now on your side." He said.

"...Ok what's the catch? These sound way too strong for you to just give them to me." I said.

"Well...They have this weird tendency to tear apart your muscles and break your bones if you use them too long so...bide you time!" He said.

"...Wow that is kind of a turn off, dude…"

"Think of it like this. Combo attack!" He said. I stared at him, looking for an explanation. "Pair those with Black Inertia and you'll be able to swing around a hundred foot sword like it's a twig." He said.

"Cool...Wait, you said that these can oppose gravity?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?"

I jumped off of the ground and landed on to of a large tree like it was nothing. "Broken bones or not, these are still pretty freaking cool!"

"Just remember. When you start to feel a strain on your body, take them off!" He told me.

"I know. Trust me, I got this. I reached into a portal and grabbed Black Inertia. I grinned at the blade and held it up. "INERTIA, INERTIA, INERTIA!"

The sword doubled its size three times. I front flipped down the tree and swung the blade around like it was nothing. I accidentally butchered a few trees but I was having too much fun to stop.

"Alright, enough fooling around. Back to training!" Tatsu yelled.

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Ward of Frost: Cryogenics!" I surrounded myself in a thin layer of ice. The ice was like a second skin for protection.

"Now use the next skill that I taught you!" Xeto said.

"Ward of Frost: Spell of Mist!" A thick layer of chilling mist surrounded Clyde making him disappear from sight.

"Next one!"

"Ward of Frost: Cold Storm!" From his mouth, Clyde blew out a stream of cold air. The cold air flew at the target and froze it solid.

"Next!" Xeto demanded.

Clyde was out of breath and was feeling very winded. He was panting heavily and was running low on mana.

"Ward...of Frost…" Clyde then dropped to the floor trying to catch his breath.

"And this is the effect of cryomancy. While pyromancy uses up more bursts of mana in shorter amounts of time, cryomancy can sustain mana over longer periods of time...but make no mistake. All cryomancers have a limited. You see unlike a pyromancer's mana flame, cryomancers have no reserves to tap into. Instead we favor our initial supply. You're used to burning through your mana quickly and using your reserves as opposed to maintaining it for extended time. This imbalance is draining your stamina very quickly and leaving you exhausted. I can understand that this is a hard transition for you. It never is easy, but you'll have to overcome this. If you can somehow obtain the extension of mana that a cryomancer has with the reserves of a pyromancer, you be quite the opponent to have to face." Xeto said.

I got back up and gave him a determined look. "Let's keep going. I want to get stronger. You see, Zero isn't the only person that I have to be ready to fight."

"Are you referring to the boy with little mana?" He asked. I nodded to him. "The boy is quite intriguing. To come so far with such a taboo form of power."

I narrowed my eyes. "In the future...I'm supposed to die from him. I refuse to let that happen!"

Xeto's face turned serious. "Very well. We shall resume your training."

(GABBY'S POV)

The time that I had spent with Zero was amazing. It had been the most fun that I've had in awhile. I just wish that my friends were here. It had been some time since I saw them. Clyde, Isabel and...Shiro…

"Damnit Shiro!" I growled. Why did he have to make everything weird all the time! I swear, I can't stand him!

While my infatuation with Zero was steadily increasing, my attraction to Shiro was slowly coming into question. The most I could say was that he was a slight crush. A fling that I needed to help me get over Tazorac's death. He was there to help me forget but then he was slowly slipping away. During those five months of training with him, our relationship never really went anywhere. He was so focused on his goal to improve that we never had time for anything. Then I met Zero...He was kind to me. He makes me feel like I'm his top priority. I know it's selfish but I can't help it. I like the attention that he gives me.

As time flew by we ended up being closer than ever. His isolated nature diminished around me. He'd be reclusive to others and put up his intimidating scowl to those that he didn't care about. Whenever he looked at me, he gave me soft expressions and showed his actual emotions. It made me feel special.

After he brought me lunch, he decided to show me something that I found amazing.

"Gabby, I'd like you to meet Koriju. He's my partner and longtime ally." He said as he introduced me to the large four headed ice hydra.

I quickly bowed my head. The large BattleBeast stared at me with all four of its heads.

"It's nice to meet you, Koriju." I said to it.

"I thought that you'd want to go see your friends since it's been a little while so I thought, what better way to get there then on Koriju." Zero spoke.

I smiled at him. "You didn't have to do that Zero." I said.

"No, it's fine. I wanted to." He was so considerate. I couldn't help but throw my arms around his neck. I hugged him tightly and sighed with content.

"Thank you Zero. This really does mean a lot to me." I told him. He lifted me up bridal style and jumped on top of Koriju.

"Koriju, please take us to Xeto's place." He said.

The Hydra nodded one of its heads and blasted off into the sky. Zero held me tightly to his chest which made my face redden even further. He was so warm, regardless of his powers. I instinctively snuggled closer to him and enjoyed the ride.

(SHIRO'S POV)

I was in a forest clearing, sparring with Vizeron. I was mostly just trying to avoid Eliza due to the fact that I didn't feel like doing ten thousand jump squats.

"Send me another one Viz!" I yelled at him. The wolf puffed up his chest and unleashed another large gust of wind. I reeled back my large sword and slash through the cyclones with ease. "C'mon Viz! Step it up!"

Vizeron growled and began to glow. He stood on his back two legs and began to grow. He was now about only five inches shorter than me and had taken on a more human like appearance. His wild grey hair was swooped to the side in an unruly fashion. His large brown eyes held a bit of animosity to them. His hands still had sharp claws, his wolf tail remained and he had a mark running down his left cheek.

"You want me to step it up? Fine! I'm gonna kick your ass beta male!" He snarled in a slightly deeper voice.

"Bring it you piece of shit!" I Shouted.

I was about to charge at him but was stopped by a dagger hitting the grass in between us.

A puff of smoke appeared and as it blew away, Eliza could be seen standing there with her arms crossed.

"I finally found you!" She sent me a glare.

"Oh goddamnit…" I turned around and attempted to run but it was no use. She had already caught me. She grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and lifted me to her face.

"So you tried to run out on me again?" She asked with a grin.

"PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME SQUAT!" I begged.

"Relax, we're getting ready to leave."

"Leave? Where to?" I asked.

"Frost Park, smartass!" She said with frustration.

"How? Isn't that like, across the planet?"

"We're taking the boat!" She said with an evil grin.

My face paled. "B...but that's like a seven month trip!"

"Yep!"

"Hell no! I'm not getting on the goddamn ship!" I yelled.

That when Tatsu teleported next to my mentor. "C'mon Eliza, that's just cruel. You know we hate that God awful boat!" He then looked at me. "We are gonna teleport with a little bit of Trickster Technique."

I sighed happily. "Oh thank you future me!"

"Alright! Viz get over here!" He said.

"But I didn't even get to use my new form…" Viz grumbled as her reverted back to his wolf self and stomped over to us.

With a snap of his fingers, Tatsu sent us across the world instantly.

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Thanks Isabel." I said as she healed my wounds. Sparring against Xeto was a nightmare. He was barely even trying and yet I still struggled to land a hit on him. He was practically toying with me.

"It's no trouble Clyde. I'm just glad that I could make myself useful."

"Aww c'mon Isabel! Don't talk like that. Without you, Shiro would be a literal puddle right about now and you keep me in tip top shape! Plus...I'd go nuts if you suddenly left. To be real with you. Every else drives me insane. I need you to ease my nerves with your soft voice." Clyde said as he scooted next to her.

"Clyde I…" Isabel started.

"No, it's fine. I just want you to know how much you mean to me. I know that I still have a lot of room for improvement but...I'm glad that you're always by my side to get me to the next level."

"I...I'll always be on your side Clyde. No matter what happens. It's because deep down...I-"

"HEY PEOPLES!!!" Shiro suddenly yelled from behind us.

"What is he doing here?!" I asked with mild irritation.

"Goddamn it's cold!" He said while shivering. He looked up and noticed me and Isabel. "Hey guys!"

"H...Hello Shiro." Isabel said. She seemed embarrassed and I had a feeling of why.

"Tatsugami…" I mumbled.

"Guess what Clyde! I've been training my ass off! Because I what happened in the tournament, I've decided that I am perfectly capable of kicking your ass so long as I have my gear." He said.

"So you need weapons to beat me? Pathetic…" I said.

"What? How bout you say that again to my face!" He snapped.

I growled. "WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP YOU ANNOYING LITTLE KID!!!"

"Oh look! Mister smartass really CAN lose his temper!" He laughed. Before I could continue, a large four headed beast landed right behind Shiro. He turned around and screamed at it. "What the hell is this?!"

"This is Koriju and you'd best watch what you say or you might end up dead." Said Zero from atop the large creature. In his arms was a blushing Gabby. I looked back at Shiro as his glare intensified. Somebody was clearly jealous.

"I'm not afraid of a fucking frozen lizard!" He yelled.

The hydra growled at him. "Wow...You're not too bright, are you Shiro?" Zero asked.

"Eat a dick!" He barked back.

"How very mature of you." Zero retorted as he placed Gabby on the snow. Her face was extremely red and that helped me to connect the dots.

Shiro looked at her with a hopeful expression. "Hey Gabby! It's been a while, hasn't it? How ya been?"

"...Fine Shiro…" She said, harshly waving him off.

I could see the defeated look on his face and I couldn't help but feel bad for the idiot.

"...Right…" Shiro mumbled.

The tension rose and it began to feel awkward. Thankfully Master Xeto, Xena and Amora stepped outside from his small fortress and noticed everyone.

"Looks like we have some unexpected guests. Please come inside." Xeto spoke with a smile.

Shiro stomped in without saying a single word. I looked back and noticed Eliza and Tatsu both held saddened looks.

As we all stepped inside, Zero held Gabby's hand and led her to the couch. Shiro was staring out the window with an unreadable expression.

"Damnit...I better go talk to him." I heard Tatsu speak.

(TATSU'S POV)

Damnit. I knew that this would happen. I tried to warn him but shit… He was in _way_ too deep.

"He kid…" I said to him.

"..." He didn't respond.

"Look Shiro...I know it seems like this was a missed opportunity, but it's ok. This is just one trial that you have to deal with. You'll bounce back. I promise you. I swear on the future that you will!" I said to him.

"What does it matter...I lost her so quickly...what's the point?" He asked.

"Because plan B you idiot!" I glared at him. He looked back at me and gave a very small smile.

"Yeah…" He said before looking back out the window.

I walked back over to Eliza and shrugged my shoulders. She stared at me.

"He'll come around. He doesn't really have a choice." I said to her.

"I sure do hope so. He's no fun when he's a little sad sack." She said.

I looked back at Zero and Gabby. Thoughts of the ones in my timeline filled my head. "Eliza, I need to get outta here." I said.

"What? Why?" She asked.

"I keep getting these thoughts. I need to leave. The images are way too much for me to handle." I clutched my head and winced.

"Alright, hang on." She walked me out the door and sat me down on a nearby bench made of ice. "You need some space? I'll go back inside if you're-"

"No!" I said quickly before grabbing her hand. "Don't leave me out here alone." I was gasping for breath. I was getting lightheaded and I needed a way to stabilize myself.

"Ok…" She sat down next to me and held me closer when I started hyperventilating. My vision was blurry and my heart rate skyrocketed to dangerous levels. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm having...another...anxiety attack…" I said slowly. The voice of Metagenesis was still in my ear. He was taunting me. The dead faces of Gabby and Zero were haunting me. My brain was going to put me into seizure mode if I didn't calm down soon. "Eliza...P...please...help me…" I begged. Tears rushed down my face uncontrollably.

"What do I do?!" She asked with panic as my body started shaking.

"C...calm me...down…" I choked out.

She laid my head down on her lap and slowly ran her fingers through my brown hair. "Easy now. Just relax. You're fine. Your safe. Nothing here can hurt you. I won't let you go."

My breathing gradually slowed down. My heart beats stabilized and my vision returned back to normal. I was still shaking though and she must've picked up on that.

"...I'm sorry that you had to see that. I can usually control myself but seeing myself so upset, and then seeing Gabby and Zero still alive together...It was too much." I muttered.

"Why didn't you think to tell me about you having PTSD?!" She asked, slightly upset.

"It wasn't something that I wanted you to worry about…" I said to her.

"I guess that even as a grown man, you're still as stubborn as ever."

While still in her lap, I rolled over to look at her. I lifted my right hand up and cupped her cheek. "I'm so glad I got to come back in time and see you again." I said to her.

"Oh really? Why is that?" She grinned.

"Because I get to look at you in a different way now." I sat up and stared at her "You know, it's so weird to think about but I guess that I'm not the same Shiro Tatsugami that was training under the level 40 master of stealth."

"Nope. Now your Tatsu Shirogami, master of the notorious Fanny Pack style." She chuckled.

I smirked at her. "I'll have you know that skill took me forever to come up with. Regardless of the name!"

"You're lucky that it's actually a useful skill. You should teach me it sometime." She whispered in my ear.

I smirked even harder. "Oh but that might take some time to learn. I think that I deserve a little incentive…"

She lifted my face with her smooth hands and smiled. Her lust filled eyes were implying what she was thinking. "I could show you what a good time really looks like."

"That seems like a fair trade." I said back to her.

"Ahem!" Said a voice. We both quit our flirtatious teasing and looked up at Xena. "We are about to discuss the arrangements with the upcoming duel between Clyde and Zero."

"What does that have to do with us?" I asked.

"You're younger self wants to take part in the fight." Xena said.

"So…"

"You need to explain to him why he can't fight Zero. He'll get himself hurt." Xena said with a glare.

"Nah, he'll be fine. He's been training for this. He's ready for Zero." I told her.

Xena sighed. "If you say so…"

Eliza looked back at me with a raised brow. "Are you sure?"

"Trust me on this one. He'll give it his all."


	28. Red Snow

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Fight me…" I spoke out loud to Zero.

The cryomancer scoffed. "Listen Shiro, no offense or anything, but you're nowhere near strong enough to face me. I'm only interested in fighting Clyde right now. While you're little soul energy gimmick is...interesting, it's still not enough to beat me."

"Tch...Go ahead and believe that shit! Best believe I'll kick your ass!" I barked back.

"Shiro! What's your fucking problem?!" Gabby asked.

"I don't have a problem!" I growled to her.

"Yes you do! You're gonna get yourself killed out there!" Gabby yelled.

"I'll be fine! This scumbag can't do squat against me now! I'm a crap ton stronger than I was before. I am gonna trash this fool." I yelled back.

"Shiro, this isn't a good idea. You're underestimating Zero!" Clyde said.

"You know what...Let him fight! If he thinks that he's good enough then I won't back down from the challenge. Shiro Tatsugami and Clyde Yukio will be my opponents." Zero said.

"...Fine…" Clyde sighed.

"Then it's settled. Clyde and Shiro will do battle with Zero. When should we do this?" Xeto asked.

"Now sound good to you?" I asked Zero.

"I'm fine with any time. The result will remain the same." He smirked. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Alright everyone, grab onto me." Tatsu said with a serious look. Every held onto him at once. "Where to?" He asked.

"Just take us to an open area, not too far from here." Zero said.

"Will do…" With a quick flash, we appeared in the middle of a barren wasteland of frozen snow. In the background was a large frozen lake. The sky was gray due to the fierce winter clouds. The winter winds whipped the fluffy snow around and caused it to sprinkle around the cold air.

"Aww shit! It's cold as hell!" I shouted.

"Well...This is it…" Clyde muttered.

Xeto lifted up a hand created bleachers made out of ice. The gang walked off to the new seats and sat down. As for me and Clyde, we stared down or opponent. Zero's gaze never faltered as he watched for any sudden movements.

I turned to Clyde and narrowed my eyes. "Listen douchebag...Let me take point and get in close. You stay back here and blast him or something."

"I highly doubt that you'll be able to get close to him." He said.

"Tch...You let me worry about that! Once I step in, he's done for." I said with a grin.

"Don't get cocky Tatsugami. He's not just some average guy. He's had advanced training from Xeto himself-"

"Yeah yeah yeah...I know all that shit already. It makes no difference to me. He's still going down! Now let's do this!" I yelled as I instinctively sprinted forward. Zero stood there with his arms folded and his eyes still focused on Clyde, not even worried about bothering to lift up his guard. Once I got directly in front of him, I threw my fist at him.

"Such a simple attack…" He lazily lifted a hand and put up a wall of ice. My fist slammed against the solid wall and left a deep crack in it. He dropped the wall and kicked me over towards Clyde. Said mage sighed and shook his head.

"You're an idiot." He said.

"Shut the hell up Clyde!" I snapped.

Zero let out a huff. He tapped his right foot on the ground. Ten large snow golems appeared and readied themselves for battle. "How's about you two warm up first before you go and attempt to fight me for real." He was then lifted up into the air by a large pillar of ice. He sat at the top with bored look.

"Shiro, back me up real quick!" Clyde said.

"What's your big plan oh wise one?"

"I'm gonna charge up a fire based spell for Zero. I need you to handle the snowmen." He said.

"How come you get to hit the boss?" I asked feeling inadequate.

"Would you stop arguing with me for once and go!" Clyde shouted. I nodded and whipped out my trusty daggers...that I haven't really used in a while…

"Alright you snowy pricks! Feast your eyes on the ultimate fighter!" I said and I slashed at each of them repeatedly. I soon realized that my attacks were virtually useless due to the sheer fact the they'd regenerate whatever was cut off. I stopped for a moment and glared at them. They all then decided to rush me. They practically dogpiled me. I tried to punch back but my hits weren't doing much of anything. I kicked one of their heads off only for it to grow back. I winced as one tackled me to the floor. The thing punched my face multiple times, leaving fresh new bruises.

"Damnit Shiro! Get your head in the game!" Clyde yelled.

"Shut up Clyde!" I yelled before tossing them off of me. "Fanny Pack Style!" I yelled. I dug my hand into the small portal and yanked out a large, black, blade. I swung it around and sliced the snow golems apart. As they tried to regenerated, I sliced through them some more until they were nothing but tiny, scattered pieces. I stabbed my sword into the snow and lifted my right hand. Purple static surrounded it. A bright purple orb formed and I chucked it at the grounded remains, disintegrating them completely. I lifted my blade and turned to Clyde and flashed him a thumbs up. "I'm too good!"

Clyde rolled his eyes and placed his hands together. "Ward of Flames: Heat Wave!" A large gust of scorching hot wind blew towards Zero as he continued to sit on his pillar without any hint of worry on his face. As the wave of hot air came closer, Zero simply blew cold air at it, canceling out the attack. He then lowered himself to the ground.

Zero walked forward and folded his arms. "Are you two warmed up yet or should I send out more snow golems?"

"Don't worry. I'm ready for you now!" I said as I readied my sword.

"That sword is giving off a strange energy. You mind explaining?" Zero asked me.

"This is the legendary sword Black Inertia! It has the ability to completely whoop your ass!" I smirked.

He raised a brow at me. "Care to test that theory?" He asked. He clapped his hands together. They glowed a bright blue color. As he pulled them away from each other, a long sword was seen in his grasp. He pointed the sword at me and grinned. "Your move Shiro!"

"Sit tight Clyde! He's all mine!" I said with a determined glance.

"Don't be an idiot!" He said dismissively.

I gave him a thumbs up before I sprinted towards Zero. He charged at me as well and his icy blade clashed with my large black one. I pushed him back in order to reset my position. "Inertia!" I yelled before swinging the enlarged blade at him. My behemoth blade slammed against his thinner, less awesome ice blade.

He leaned forward and smirked in my face. "As big as this sword is, you're too slow to actually make a difference. I guess it's just too heavy for you."

"Piss...OFF!" I yelled as I kicked him in his chest, causing him to shuffle backwards. I attempted a couple more large swings that only resulted in more misses. He effortlessly dodged each swing.

I stabbed my sword into the snow and panted. "Shit...I...need to...practice with this...stupid thing some more…"

"Well that was absolutely a waste of time and effort." Zero said before jabbing his sword into my shoulder. My eyes widened as I felt intense cold creep down my left arm. "Now freeze…"

With quick thinking, I spun around, breaking the icy blade off and swiped my heel across his face. I hastily jumped back next to Clyde who held an annoyed look.

"...Can you quit staring at me and get this fucking ice outta my goddamn shoulder!" I snarled.

"Alright, stay still for a second." He said. His right hand glowed red before he firmly placed it on my frozen wound.

"Ow! That shit burns!" I hissed with pain.

"I need to melt that ice so bare with me here." He said. I sucked up the blatant pain and watched as Clyde melted the shard of ice from my body. As soon as he finished, I muttered a slight thanks and stared back at Zero with a glare. Before I could charge forward again, Clyde stopped me.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I asked.

"Shut up and listen. We need to work together in order to make somewhat of progress." He said.

"..." I gave him a blank stare.

"I'M SERIOUS YOU MORON!" He snapped.

I sighed. "Fine! What do you have in mind?"

"Well since you're slower with that sword when it grows, I thought that I give you a little strength boost to help ease some of the weight." He spoke.

"How the hell are you gonna do that?" I asked.

"It's easy. All I need is to use a little enhancement spell. Just get out there and when I give you the signal, grab your sword." Clyde instructed. I nodded to him and walked towards Zero for like the third time.

"You two done talking yet? I'm getting bored. I wanted an actual fight." He said. Without a word I clocked him in his jaw with a silent uppercut. He shifted back an inch and glared. "That was a pretty cheap shot…"

"..." I stayed silent and jumped up to throw a midair roundhouse. He blocked it and punched me in my chest with two rapid jabs. I quickly recovered and kicked his upper thigh. He tilted a bit which lead to him getting swept to the floor. He glared at me before sinking into the snow below him. Before I could process what happened and asses the situation, the ground began to shake furiously. I looked around for any signs of Zero but I couldn't see him anywhere. That's when a heavy mist surrounded me.

"Now…" Said a voice from behind me.

"You'll…" Said the same voice from my right.

"Perish!" Said the voice as three Zeros jumped at me all at once.

"What?!" I shouted before getting kicked in the gut, punched in the back of the head and dropped in the snow. The three looked at me with mirrored smirks. "Goddamn!" I barked with irritation before flaring up my Soul energy. I quickly got up and threw a punch at one of them. The middle Zero caught my hand and applied pressure on it. The left Zero kicked my ribs and the right followed up with a knee to my face. My head whipped back and my body collapsed back to the snow.

"Now this is a much more fitting look for you. Laid out in the snow." Zero taunted. I huffed out painfully. One of the Zeros stomped a foot on my chest. Damn you Clyde! If he doesn't hurry up and boost me already!

"I'm not done yet, you asshole!" I pushed them all off of me with my Soul energy and shot myself up and flipped kicked one of the Zeros in the face. The clone looked back at me with a deep crack on his forehead. The purple aura around me continued to swirl around violently.

"So you're resorting to the Soul power again? I guess that really IS like your little trump card." The cracked Zero said.

"Shut the fuck up. I hate this stupid Soul nonsense! I'd rather not have to rely on it so much. It does some weird stuff to my head. Stuff that I'm gonna ignore just for the sake of kicking your ass!" I yelled.

"Hmph...Is that so?" One of the other Zeros spoke with a teasing grin.

I grit my teeth. With anger as my energy spiked again. I zipped forward and buried my fist through the grinning bastard. The false Zero's eyes widened.

I lifted my head slowly in order to stare him dead in the eyes. "As a matter of fact...Yes!" I ripped my fist from it and watched as it shattered. The other two glared at me. "You got a problem?" I asked them.

One of them smirked. "Well...It looks like we may actually have a bit of a challenge."

Both Zeros ran at my and rushed me down with a series of the attacks. I was struggling to dodge and block the attacks. They were forcing me back against my will. I dipped under one attack and kicked one of them away. I grabbed the fist of the other and tossed him over my shoulder and to the cold ground. I lifted my foot and slammed it down on its head, causing the clone to shatter.

"I'm done playing your games!" I growled.

"Aww...You're gonna hurt my feelings Shiro." The last clone said with a cold smirk. "So what now? You gonna finish me off?" I threw one of my daggers at the final clone's head. "You know, I was hoping that you'd think I was the real Zero…" Once he shattered, the real Zero had appeared from a cloud of mist. He was clapping his hands and had a wild grin on his face.

"Why are you so happy?" I asked.

"This is getting more and more fun by the second." He said.

"It won't be fun when your face down in the snow."

"You're finally starting to surprise me. My ice clones usually get the job done. You took care of them on your own and managed to do so in a reasonable time." He said.

"Yeah, and you're next!"

"Easy Shiro...You might die of inflated ego!" He said before flaring up his mana. I could slightly feel a change in the weather. It was overwhelming at first but I decided to play along and flare up my Soul energy. We stared each other down until Clyde's voice echoed from behind me.

"NOW SHIRO!" He yelled.

It was now my turn to grin widely. "Fanny Pack Style!" I once again reached inside of the portal and pulled out Black Inertia.

"That again? Have you really learned nothing?!" Zero asked with evident confusion.

"Spell of Enhancement: Gift of Hercules!" Clyde shouted.

I then felt my body surge with power. My muscles swelled from underneath my tight shirt. "Oh hell yeah! INERTIA!"

"So are we trying the sword fight again?" Zero asked as he reformed his ice sword.

"Good luck with that…" I said before running at him and quickly swinging my huge blade. As he went to go and block, his icy blade was destroyed. I pulled the sword back and swung it even quicker than before. The sword slammed against his side and he was sent spinning to the ground. I jumped up and positioned myself for a downward stab. The stab missed and he threw a straight kick to my face. I wiped the blood from my nose and glared. As I readied another attack, Clyde had flew past and drop kicked Zero a few yards away. "What the hell?"

"Apologies Shiro...But I can't stand sitting on the sidelines any longer." He said with a serious look. "Zero was supposed to be MY fight. Plus that enhancement spell wears off is a few seconds."

"Wow, that's underwhelming as hell."

Zero stood up and sent Clyde a wicked smirk. "It's about time you quit riding the bench!" Zero flared up his large amount of mana. He flew forward towards us with blue aura surrounding him. Clyde did the same as he surrounded himself with fire. Both collided with each other and locked arms, engaging in a power struggle. Zero then lifted Clyde up and kicked him straight into the air. He saw me running at him and waved his hand. I was stopped yet again by a wall of ice. He grinned at me as he punched the falling Clyde away. He then dropped the wall and swiftly put a hand over my mouth.

"Wanna know what a cold death tastes like?" He said as ice began to cover my mouth and spread across my face. Before it could do anything harmful, three large golden chains grabbed Zero and pulled him off of me. Zero noticed this and jerked his body forward, pulling Clyde towards him. He smacked Clyde and froze the chains before breaking them. Zero then lifted up a hand to the sky. A large glowing snowball formed and he looked ready to chuck it. I dropped my sword back into a portal and ran at him with swift speeds. He grinned and threw the attack at me. I jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding but my face paled when I saw it going straight towards a struggling Clyde.

"CLYDE, LOOK OUT!!!" I shouted with panic.

He looked at the large snowball flying at him and glared as he looked down and saw his feet frozen in place. The snowball was directly in front of Clyde when a large howl was heard. The giant snowball was then pushed away from Clyde and detonated off in the distance. That attack would've been nasty. I dropped my thoughts to look at Clyde's savior.

"Vizeron saves the day!" The small wolf barked happily.

"What the hell are you doing out here on the battlefield?" I asked him.

"Well I AM your BattleBeast so by default, I'm like an extension of your powers. Oh and a thank you would suffice." He huffed.

Zero looked at us and sighed. "So many meaningless interruptions. It's all so annoying." He then snapped his fingers. The ground began to tremble once again. Four large, ice covered dragon heads surrounded us. I stared at them with growing worry. "I really don't feel like dealing with three adversaries all at once so I'm going to have Koriju handle the mutt."

Vizeron paled and stared at the large hydra as the rest of its massive body erupted from the snow. "I can't fight that thing Shiro!" Vizeron said.

"Remember our training. If we fight together we'll win this!"

"He has a good point Vizeron. We have to use teamwork." Clyde said as he walked up next to us. "And thanks for the save."

Vizeron nodded and glared at the Koriju. He began to transform into his human like state. "You guys just take care of Frosty over there. I'll keep the hydra busy." Viz said with newfound confidence.

Clyde and I nodded and watched as Vizeron flew up onto the air. He floated in front of the ice dragon and the two creatures seemed to engage in a conversation. Meanwhile, Clyde and I were prepared for combat with Zero.

Ice began to grow around his skin. Clyde took note of this and narrowed his eyes. "He's using cryogenics. He's able to take more deadly hits now so stay on your guard."

I nodded to him and got into position. Clyde surrounded himself with flames and I began to surround myself with the same level of Soul energy that I fought Clyde with. My eyes flashed purple and the strange purple markings reappeared on my body again.

Clyde and I looked at each other before nodding. We both blasted off of the ground and towards Zero. We both struck him at once. He caught both of our fists. Clyde and I then threw our second punches. Both connecting and forcing him back. I used my enhanced speed to move behind him and kicked him back at Clyde who was charging fire in his fists. Clyde shoved his fiery hand deep into Zeros stomach. Zero tumbled back and narrowed his eyes.

In the background, Viz could be seen dodging multiple large, light blue blasts. He was flying around trying to avoid direct contact. He seemed fine so I let him be.

When my gaze returned to Zero, he was now standing up again. He tapped his foot on the ground creating large pillars that he used to gain distance. I narrowed my eyes at his retreating form and jumped straight up. Once I got in his face, I punched him down to the ground. He plopped down roughly in the snow. He pulled himself up and grit his teeth. That's when I shoved my boot into his chest sending him crashing into an ice pillar that he created. Wasting no time, I decided to entangle him in my Soul strands.

"Do it now Clyde!" I shouted.

"Ward of Flames: Flame Stream!" Clyde sent forth a straight line of dense fire that traveled down my strands. The fire collided with Zero but he just stood there and took it. When the fire died down and my soul strands faded, Zero was seen standing there without any damage. I did notice that his breathing pattern was different. He seemed...tired…

"Your combined efforts won't do you much good for much longer. I'm still not even close to trying yet." He said.

I glared at him. "Then I'll make you try!" I glared. "Fanny Pack style!" I grabbed the Gilgamesh Grips and put them on with the boots.

"What are those?!" Clyde asked.

"These babies are able to make me super tough!" I answered.

"I'll be the judge of that!" Zero slammed his foot against the ground, sending out large spikes of ice towards us. I moved in front of Clyde and plucked my index finger. A super large blast of wind smacked against the ice, shattering it. Zero's eyes widened a bit before he created a huge fist made of ice and launched it at me. I cocked my arm and basically fist bumped it, reducing the mountain size fist into powdered ice.

"So judge...What's my rating?" I asked Zero.

"Below Zero!" He yelled before swiping a hand forward and blasting out multiple needles of ice.

Clyde stepped up. He clenched his fists and growled. "Ward of Flames: Orb of Fire!" A large, orange sphere surrounded use and melted the ice needles on contact. Clyde dropped to his knees and panted. He was now sweating profusely. "Damn...it…"

"You good?" I asked him.

"No...The fire orb technique can burn away whatever touches it...It just requires a lot of mana...It chewed through my...last bit of reserves...I need time...to recuperate…" He said.

"Alright then. Just sit tight. I'll buy you time...or maybe I'll just take him out myself." I grinned.

Clyde grinned back and shook his head. "Whatever you say…"

I turned back to Zero who seemed to catch his breath. He let out a huff and ice reformed on his body. Damn was that shit annoying.

"I feel like I'm battling you more than anything else, Shiro." He said.

"Don't worry. I'm gonna trash your ass right here!" I shouted. I was starting to feel my muscles tingling. I ignored the strange sensation and unsheathed my daggers. In less than a second, I had appeared in front of Zero. "Whirlwind Slash!" I shouted as I spun around and sliced across his chest. He hissed and kneed me in the jaw. I back flipped and landed on my feet. I charged at him again and then faded out from sight. After a few seconds, I had stabbed one of my daggers deep into his back. "Concealed Strike!" I muttered. He elbowed me in my temper and kicked me off of him. I shook away dizziness and refocused on him. He sent out another wave of ice shards. I flipped over them and ran full speed, shattering the ice and snow beneath my feet. I then jumped up and dove down on him with my daggers in an "X" formation. Once I got in range I wasted no time in throwing out my attack. "CROSSCUT!!!" I sliced through the solid layers of ice and actually left a mark on him. He now had a small "X" shaped wound on his chest.

He looked at me with shock before his face went dark and his shock was replaced with rage. "THAT'S ENOUGH!!!" Spikes of ice blasted from his skin and stabbed my arms. I quickly moved away as the temperature dropped even more. "I won't lose to you Shiro!"

"You don't get to make that call!" I jumped off of the ground creating a small crater where I once stood. I punched the X on his chest and shattered more of the ice. His blood flew from the wound and his face showed signs of pain. He flew back at high velocity. He stopped himself with a wall of ice. He held his wound and glared at me yet again.

(NO POV)

-On the Bleachers-

"I haven't seen Zero getting so worked up before. This is absolutely incredible!" Xeto said.

"What do you mean?" Gabby asked.

"You see, while Zero is extremely powerful, he's not without his own flaws. He hasn't ever really taken a fight seriously. Most people don't last very long against him. Clyde and Shiro got him to actually fight them himself instead of using more clones. On top of that, Shiro actually drew blood from him. Zero is also losing mana at a quickened pace." Xeto explained.

"How? He still seems to have a good amount left." Isabel asked.

"His constant use of cryogenics and cryo-healing are starting to take effect on his mana. Just like Clyde over there, Zero needs a quick break but it seems that Shiro won't allow that to happen. This match may have already been settled."

"...Unfortunately, that couldn't be further from the truth…" Tatsu suddenly spoke.

Everyone looked at him with confusion. "Why? What's wrong with Shiro?" Eliza asked.

"The Gilgamesh Grips are still on his body. They give you godly strength and speed to match but the payoff is detrimental to one's health. He may not be showing it yet but he's in serious pain right now. His muscles are tightening and his bones are slowly cracking inside of him. He needs to take them off before it's too late." Tatsu said, already know the situation at hand. Everyone grew silent and stared back at the fight.

-With Vizeron and Koriju-

"You're not bad…" Vizeron huffed. He was scratched up and bruised all over.

"You yourself are quite the strong opponent. Your master is also giving mine a pretty good workout as well." Koriju's two center heads spoke simultaneously. The hydra was in much better shape than Viz was.

"Yeah...Say what you will about about the guy, but Shiro's got guts." Viz then reverted back to his small wolf form.

"Do you plan to continue as you are? I don't foresee you winning like that." Koriju said again.

"Ah, don't worry about lil' ole me. I still got an ace up my sleeve!" The wolf said with a smirk. He began to grow brightly and his sized grew to be a bit larger than Koriju. The enlarged wolf flashed a toothy grin. "Sorry to keep you waiting! Now I can let loose me real strength!"

Koriju stared back at Vizeron. "Impressive...Show me your true power!" The two large beasts had now engaged in the second round of their fight.

(ZERO'S POV)

I slammed my hand down on the snow. A large ice serpent flew at Shiro. The bastard flicked his middle finger and shattered it. I hissed with anger. Those damn gloves that he was wearing were a problem! No matter what I use, he just shatters it! It's so irritating!

"You trying yet?" He asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Still shit talking?" I asked.

"I'm just curious. You're throwing out attacks that are ineffective as hell and I noticed that you're not putting ice on your body anymore. What happened to you?" He asked.

"Shut up!" I threw an icy spear at him. He easily dodged it and walked towards me.

"That all you got?" Shiro asked with a smirk. I growled. He was mocking me like I was a small child! I swear that I'm gonna kill this asshole if it's the last thing I do. He kicked my left foot in, causing me to drop to the side. He quickly spun around and hit me with a back fist that rattled my brain.

"Your making a big mistake fighting me! I'll kill you! YOU HEAR ME?! I WILL KILL YOUR ASS!!!" I shouted. He gave me a hard look before vanishing behind me with his back turned. I whipped around and threw a straight punch to his head. He pivoted on the ball of his toes and grabbed fist. I hissed as he tightened his hold on me. He pulled me into a gut wrenching kick to my abdomen causing me to cough up a load of spit.

"Last chance…" He said as he let go of my hand. I wobbled back and held myself.

"Wha...what are you...talking about?"

"Give up and leave…" He said.

My eyes widened for a bit. Did he really just try to spare me?! No...Even he couldn't be that stupid. The thought of him showing ME pity was outrageous...it was downright infuriating to say the least. It made me mad. EXTREMELY mad. If only I had more time to get my mana back! Damn him!

"You don't get to tell me what to do! I'm still far from beaten!" I said.

"...Don't bullshit me dude...I know that your mana is running low. The way you are now… just won't cut it. Clyde's almost done recovering and you're getting your ass kicked pretty badly. Just quit and save yourself the trouble."

"Shut up!" I threw another punch that he caught. He then punched the X on my chest and threw me into the air. He jumped up and kneed me before axe handling me to the snow. He landed next me and glared.

He lifted me by the collar of my jacket and held me eye level. "You're done!" He shouted as he cocked a fist back. I noticed that he hadn't thrown the punch. He dropped me back down to the snow filled crater.

"..." His face scrunched up and he grit his teeth. His knees began to buckled and his arm flopped to his sides. I stared at the scene with a mixture of relief and shock. He began to limp away slowly until he suddenly collapsed to the floor. " ** _AAAAAAAHHHH!!!_** " He let out a pained cry and his veins had bulged out of from under his skin. "Shit, shit, SHIT!!!" He yelled.

I simply just stared with wide eyes. Then I realized that he couldn't move. A dark look formed on me face as I raised a hand at him. "Taunt my...Mock me...Now look at you. You're helpless…" Shiro attempted to crawl away but I wasn't about to let him. I froze his arms and legs to the ground. I decided to use my fourth strongest technique.

"Now you die...Ward of Frost...Shards of the Ice Age!"

(CLYDE'S POV)

I stared in horror as three large spikes of ice impaled Shiro's back. He let out screams of pain. The snow around him turned red and his movements had begun to cease.

"SHIRO!!!" I shouted as I blasted forward. I still hadn't recovered completely but that didn't matter much now. I stopped in front of him and ripped the huge icicles out of his body. I turned his cold body around in order to see him. His eyes were glassed over and a trickle of blood rushed down his mouth. He had three large holes in his body. Two in his abdomen and one in his chest. "You're gonna be ok Shiro! Just hang on, I'm gonna go bring you to Amora and Isabel."

He put a hand on my shoulders and grinned. "Not...gonna lie...Not how I though I'd go out dude…"

"Don't be an idiot!" I said to him. "You won't die! I will not allow you to!"

"...Shut the hell up Clyde…" He said before closed his eyes. His heart stopped, his breathing stopped, and the little tiny amount of mana that he had, was completely diminished.

"Shiro...SHIRO!" I yelled.

Viz had suddenly dropped down next to my with a sad expression on his face. His body was slowly fading out of existence.

"Shiro died...Damnit beta male…" He said with a few tears rolling down his face.

"Vizeron, what's happening to you?!" I asked.

"Shiro's soul is responsible for my contract. I'm bound to him. If he dies, then I die with him…" The small wolf climbed on top of the dead Shiro's chest and curled himself up. "Bye Clyde." Vizeron said as he faded away into nothingness.

I dropped to my knees and glared at the snow. I was supposed to fight him! I wasted time trying to recover my own mana as he died! Now, both Shiro AND Viz are gone!

(NO POV)

-On the Bleachers-

Everyone went silent for a moment and looked at what just transpired. Gabby's didn't know what to think. She was surprised more than anything else. Isabel was sobbing while Amora tried to calm her down. That's when Eliza got up and smacked Tatsu across the face. He didn't wince. Instead, he just took the hit.

"You piece of shit! You knew damn well that he was gonna die and you just let him?! What the hell is wrong with you?! HE'S YOU!!!" She snapped.

"I can understand your anger but-"

"But nothing! You have all these goddamn powers but you didn't even try to step in and stop him! You're a fucking asshole!" She screamed in his face.

"Eliza!" Tatsu suddenly shouted in a bold and demanding tone. She winced at him and sat back down.

"I'm sorry...I lost my cool for a second there…" She said.

-Back with Clyde and Zero-

(ZERO'S POV)

I stared at Clyde as he looked back at me with a deadly glare. "Koriju!" I shouted, still laying flat on my back in the crater.

The large beast landed next to me. "Master! You are hurt!" He said.

"I know...Give me you some power. I can't keep this up on my own." I said to him.

"How much?" Koriju asked.

"Two heads should be more than enough." I said.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes! Now do it!" I yelled.

Two of Koriju's heads snaked off of its body and slithered onto me. I could feel my strength returning to my body and I was now able to stand up. I grinned at Clyde and he ignited himself in more flames. The only difference was that these flames had a blue coloration.

"Zero...I'm gonna make you pay for what you've done to him…" He said as his mana continuously rose.

"He was asking for it but whatever…You can suffer the same fate if you wish." I said back.


	29. Hello Hell

"DIE!!!" Clyde shouted at the top of his lungs as he released an extremely powerful blast of blue fire at Zero.

Zero brought up a wall of ice and blocked the flames, though much to his surprise, the wall ended up completely melted.

"How were you able to melt my ice?!" Zero asked with confusion.

Clyde never answered. His response was a flame filled fist to Zero's face. Zero's eyes snapped wide open as he was sent blasting away.

Clyde glared even harder as he pushed forward and shot two large orbs of blue fire at Zero. The cryomancer lifted up an ice wall and glared back.

Clyde shattered the ice and stared at Zero with a look of hate. "You went too far! You didn't have to kill him!"

"I only did...what I felt was necessary!" Zero fired of a blast of cold energy at Clyde, pushing him back a few feet. "He shouldn't have challenged me!"

"Bastard! I'll make you PAY!!!" Clyde's mana rose and the snow around him began to melt. The sub-zero temperature soon became sweltering as blue flames surrounded him. "Ward of Flames: Sun Shot!" The mage harnessed the power of the sun in his open palm and shifted it to his pointed index and middle finger. He then fired off a tiny, bright orb of fire.

"Tch, that little thing won't do you any good." Zero said as he put up a dome of ice around himself.

When the small ball made contact with with the dome, it detonated, creating a huge explosion that blew Zero away. He slid to a halt and glared as he climbed back to his feet.

"You won't beat me! Not like this...Even with your boost in power, you're still not able to win with that depleted mana of yours. It'll only end poorly for you." Clyde said with a serious face.

"Heheheh...Don't start getting cocky after landing a few hits on me. I'm not trying yet!" Zero snarled.

"Hmph...Whatever you say." Clyde flew at Zero and thrusted his fist toward his face. Zero ducked underneath the swing and placed a palm on Clyde's chest. "Ward of Frost: Flash Freeze!" Clyde was suddenly encased in solid ice. Zero created a large icy hammer and grinned. "Die!"

In less than a second, the ice melted and the hammer stopped. Clyde grabbed the weapon with his bare hands. He pulled Zero into a vicious punch that caused him to double over in pain. Clyde cupped his hands together and narrowed his eyes. "Ward of Flames: Blazing-"

"I don't think so!" Zero said as the ice serpent on his shoulder blasted Clyde quickly. The mage jumped back and felt his mana fluctuate again with his growing anger.

"You're starting to get on my nerves." Clyde lifted up his hand and glared. "Ward of Flames: Flame Dragon Meteor Storm!" He fired off a large blast of fire into the sky. The blast stop and dispersed into multiple directions.

Zero clapped his hands together and let out a breath. He formed a large barrier of ice and repelled the destructive attack. He dropped his barrier and lifted himself up into the air with a pillar of ice and stared down Clyde.

"Tell me something Yukio...What is keeping your mana flowing? You shouldn't be able to use so many different high level fire based spells back to back like that!" Zero said.

"You did this Zero. I can't let you just kill my friend and not fight back!" Clyde growled.

"He agreed to the fight. I warned him not to join in but he didn't listen to me. Now he's dead. That was on him." Zero said with a shrug.

"Doesn't change what I'm about to do to you!" Clyde lifted his hand up and fired off an intense wave of solar winds that blew Zero off of his tall pillar. He landed and looked up to see Clyde dropping down onto him and kicking him into the melting snow. Zero looked up at him with a glare.

"This doesn't make any sense! I can't be losing right now! Fine! I'll just up my percentage. Then, I'll end this." Zero said.

Clyde looked at Zero as he hunched over and started yelling. "What the hell are you doing?"

A white and blue aura was now surrounding Zero. "This is the essence of a cryomancer! I'll freeze everything! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

"So you're finally taking this seriously? I guess I can too!" Clyde gritted his teeth and unleashed a wave of fire all around him. "KKKYYYYAHHHH!!!"

"Show me the way of a pyromancer, Clyde." Zero said to him.

"Gladly!" Clyde blasted forward and tackled Zero to the cold floor. Zero kicked the mage off of him and opened his mouth. The two heads on his shoulder opened wide as well and all three of the began to charge up a bright blue blast. "Ward of Flames: Roaring Sun Spear!"

A large fiery spear flew at Zero. He dodged the attack first and fired off a few more beams of cold energy. Clyde took the hits head on and kept running towards Zero. He grabbed him and shoved his flaming fist deep into the cryomancer. The ice on his skin shattered once again as clyde forced him back.

Zero flipped around and slammed his hand into the floor. Two large ice hands grabbed Clyde and squeezed him tightly. "Heheh...You're gonna feel this one Yukio!"

"Th...this...is nothing!" Clyde said confidently as he blasted through the ice. "You call that an attack? C'mon...Get it together."

Zero was enraged at Clyde's incessant taunts. He sent Clyde an Icy slash of cold wind. Clyde lifted his arms up to guard which ended up lacerating his skin and leaving his blood dripping to the snowy floor.

"Can't you see?! This is the conclusion of our battle. You're badly injured and you aren't even skilled enough to use cryo-healing."

"Tch...Then what about pyro-healing?" Clyde said back with a grin. Flames covered his entire body and his bloody wounds began to heal themselves as the flames touched them. "Don't count me out yet! I can do more with my fire than you think."

"I can see...but for how much longer I wonder…" Zero said.

"We'll just have to see!"

-In a Not so Happy Place-

"No no NO!!! Why did I get sent here?! I've been a good boy! I don't deserve Hell! This is such a load of bullshit!" Shiro yelled as he looked around. The sky was blood red and was home to a bright red moon. The air was hard to take in and singed his lungs with every breath. He looked around and saw countless other souls wandering through the place without any sort of motivation. The demons all looked miserable. "Why me god? Huh? Why did I have to go?! I would've gotten my act together!"

"Excuse me child. I need you to come with me." The voice emitted from a cloaked figure holding a large scythe in his hand.

"A...are you death?!"

"That, I am. Do you know why you're here Tatsugami?" Death asked.

"Is it to be punished?" Shiro asked.

"Not exactly. You see, you have a special purpose in the realm of the afterlife."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but it beats straight up punishment."

"You're here to be Lady Kyra's bodyguard. She requested you personally." Death said. Shiro raised a brow at him.

"Who the hell is that?" I asked.

"Lady Kyra is the daughter of Schepulturath. She is currently one of the few full blooded demons of the Nether Realm and is respected by many. However, with great respect comes much jealousy. Lady Kyra has been a target of the Aether Realm's Holy Squadron. She's a powerful demon and is supposed to surpass her father, the strongest of the now six devil kings, and is favored to become the next Lucifer."

"If she's so damn strong then what does she need me for?" Shiro asked. "I just got finished DYING from a damn cryomancer!"

"While she is very powerful, she's still a full blooded demon. An angel of the holy court would be able to annihilate her in an instant." Death said.

"But aren't I technically a demon now?"

"Yes...and no…While your body may now belong to the demon world, your soul is still very much yours. You aren't going to be like the average slave demon. You're to be an ally to Hell as opposed to just a soul in need of eternal punishment." Death explained.

"Wow...That's freaking cool! So do I get any cool ass demon powers and stuff?"

"That is up to Lady Krya to decide. Only a high ranking devil can bestow new abilities to you."

"Ok, I'm starting to understand more about this now." Shiro said with a simple nod.

"That brings me to my next reason for seeing you. I am aware that your future self is in this timeline, correct?"

"Huh, oh you mean Tatsu. Yeah, he's back at Frost Park. Why do you ask? Wait a minute...How do you even know about him?!" He asked.

"Foolish child... Do you understand that there is and will only ever be one Death. It doesn't matter what time, what dimension, I'll always be me. Therefore, I am aware of what takes place in the future of this timeline. There were many simultaneous deaths. It was genocide. Metagenesis was a monster. A vile cruel being, brought to life from your hatred of the world's despicable actions and the people that do them. The world's evil created the ultimate evil."

"Yeah...I know…" Shiro muttered.

"Has your future self informed you about the vengeance gear?" Death asked him.

"He showed it to me. I don't know how he got it or what exactly it does, though."

"The vengeance gear is the gear I give to my newest disciple every hundred years. The suit and scythe are both made of the living souls that died while wielding it. Once you die by the vengeance suit, your soul is infused inside of the gear."

"W...what?! I don't want that shit anymore if it means spending eternity inside of it." Shiro said with growing worry.

"Relax child. I said 'die by the suit' meaning if you let the suit and scythe overwhelm you, it WILL consume your soul. Tatsu has been the best user of it so far. He understands his limitations and has a mutual commitment with the gear. If you take too much without earning it, you'll die. It's as simple and easy as that."

"You really think that I'll be able to manage?" Shiro asked.

"No...You are far less competent in this timeline...However, you are still you and if Tatsu can do it, you can as well."

Shiro sighed and looked at the ground below himself. "I dunno...It's kinda overwhelming to think that I could get power like that at the cost of my life."

"Oh well. Can't dwell on that now…" Death said with a shrug.

"W...what? Why?!"

"Because...MAY VENGEANCE BE WITH YOU!!!" The grim reaper shouted before placing a hand on top of Shiro's head. The boy glowed with a neon green outline and his eyes flashed green.

"I can't...believe...that you just did that!" Shiro gasped.

"Congratulations kid! You finally got to be the next wielder of vengeance. It took you long enough! Damn! How long does it take to freaking die?!" A ninja wearing a red gi said.

Shiro turned and faced him with a look of shock. "Haruka?! Why and how did you get here?!"

"Meh, I was just passing by when I heard that you up and got uber murdered by some cold bastard. What's up with that?"

"Dude pretty much stole whatever real chance I had with my relationship with Gabby…Sucks that It only lasted a few chapters…"

"Wow...You can't catch a break, can you?" Haruka chuckled. "Anyway, since you're kind of stuck in hell for a while, I thought that I'd bring a friend." He pulled out a small contract and handed it to me. "Don't lose it this time. Next time, I won't be able to remake it!"

"V...Vizeron…" I gripped the piece of paper in my hand and stared at it. "I swear...I won't fail him again…"

"I'd hope you wouldn't. Vizeron is filled with potential! He needs to be able to grow stronger with the right guidance. You only had him master a few of his skills. He needs much more training! Quit focusing on your own strength and train the little BattleBeast that I sent off with you!" Haruka said with a glare.

Shiro looked down with shame. "I'm sorry. Viz did ask me to train him more, but I let my own egocentrism cloud my judgment. That's unforgivable! I swear, I'll keep him up on his strength from here on out."

"Ok! Now that's what I want to hear. Now, I overheard my buddy Death say something about you being the bodyguard of the princess Kyra girl. I should warn you, that you're about to get mixed up in some deep shit. The Aether and the Nether have been at odds lately. The angels have been overpowering the demons for some time now. It's gonna take a lot to overturn this war." Haruka said.

"Wait...So I have to fight on Schepulturath's side?! I'd never align myself with that fucking homewrecker!"

"You won't really be fighting on his side. He's been absent from Hell. His disappearance is probably why Lady Kyra has summoned for a guard. With him abandoning his role as one of the devil rulers, the demons are vulnerable." Death said.

"So why me? I'm not exactly the strongest...I mean, they could have called for Clyde, or Gabby, or Izzy...Hell, even the prick that put me here!" Shiro barked.

"No Shiro...You don't get it. The strings of fate have brought you here for a reason. You have an objective here, and in order to complete said objective, you need to be able to balance out both sides." Haruka said.

"You mean Heaven and Hell?" Shiro asked.

"Sure do. Now, we should probably get you up to the Aesma-Daeva castle. There, you'll find Lady Kyra and possibly have the opportunity to meet the other Nether Kings that reside here." Haruka said.

"Alright, then. Let's get going already. If I'm gonna spend the rest of eternity here, I might as well go and greet the heads of the place." Shiro said. He then looked at Vizeron's contract with a sad face. "How do I get Viz back?"

"He'll appear when he's ready. Now come on. We need to find Wierus, the crosser of the blood river." Haruka said.

"You're really gonna just escort me through Hell?" Shiro asked.

"Yeah. After I get you to the castle, I'll take off." Haruka said with a grin.

"Right." Shiro looked back at Death and bowed. "I'll try my hardest with the Vengeance gear!"

"Hmm...Be well on your journeys young Tatsugami." He said before fading away.

(CLYDE'S POV)

I was nearing my limit. While I did get a huge power up, these blue flames were draining my mana. I had to finish this soon.

"What's the matter Clyde? You don't look like how you did a few minutes ago." He said after regenerating another set of wounds with his cryo-healing.

"I'm fine! If I were you I'd worry about myself. You aren't exactly in the best position since this fight is still in my favor." I said back to him.

"Is that so? Very well. Let's see what you've got left in your tank." He spread his arms out wide and grinned. "If you're ready to finish this, than by all means, go ahead and try. Hit me with your strongest attack if you're really all that confident in your own abilities."

"Tch...As you wish." I stared him down as I cupped my hands together. "Ward of Flames: Blazing Inferno…"

"That move again? How bland. I figured that you'd make up something new and, I dunno...Spice it up a bit?" He said.

"TIMES TEN!!!" I shouted before thrusting the solar blast of master Xeno towards him. The blast was no longer it's original bright orange color. Instead, it was a large swarm of blue flames. The flames slammed into him and slowly pushed him back.

"Grr...C...c'mon! This isn't...even...all that freaking...hot…" He growled while holding back the blast.

"...AFTERBURNERS!!!" I shouted before unleashing a final burst that consumed Zero completely. My fire burned through the cold terrain and was sent flying into a mountain in the distance. The mountain was now sporting a large hole in the dead center of it. I dropped to my knees and huffed out with exhaustion. That was it. The last bit of mana I had left in me. I looked and the trail of smoke and blue fire and sighed. "Hot enough for you?"

"N...not...quite…" I heard Zero's shaken up voice. When the smoke cleared, he stood there with two missing arms, cracked skin, and large burn marks all over his tattered clothes. The serpents on his body had been melted clean off of him. "Y...you...almost killed me…"

"..." I stared ahead with a sinking feeling in my gut. "You still have enough mana to regenerate anyway so what's the point?" I asked.

Ice began to repair his damaged body and he grinned. "Today has been full of surprises."

I glared at him. "Whatever...Just finish it already."

"Giving up already? How very disappointing…" He said before raising both hands to the sky. "I guess I'll just freeze you where you stand."

"Hmph...I'm sorry Shiro…" I muttered.

"Ward of Frost: Sub Zero Rain!" He shouted. The sky turned black as his mana slowly declined. I looked up with panic in my eyes.

"Damn!" I hissed.

Zero looked up at the sky with a confused expression. "What? No! Not now of all times!" He growled.

"Heh...All outta mana?" I asked with a smug grin.

"Shut up!" He yelled before kicking me to the ground. He stomped a foot on my chest and glared. "I'm still in much better condition than you are right now Clyde!" I had to think of something fast. I was running low on time.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"This is so fucking gross!" I said as I saw my reflection in the river of blood.

"You'll get used to it pretty soon. Trust me on that one kid." Haruka said.

"Why are you so casual about being in Hell? This isn't exactly the nicest place ya know."

"I'm gonna fill you in on a little secret about me kid. You promise not to tell nobody?" He asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah! I swear!" I jumped at the chance to learn about this legendary hero.

"I'm part demon." He said with a wink.

"Really?! Wow...that's so cool. So did you die or something?" I asked.

"Nope. My mom was a demon and my dad was a...well I'll just keep my dad's identity under wraps."

"So you have to have sweet demonic powers, right?" I was getting excited.

"Sure do! How do you think I kick so much ass on a daily?" He smirked.

"Wow…I wanna learn that shit too!" I yelled, almost tipping the boat over.

"Relax, will ya. Maybe if you're good enough, I'll teach you the ways of Rod the motherfucking GOD!!!" He yelled with an inflated ego.

"You know God styles?!" I asked.

"Damn straight! I might as well be a God myself. I mean, look at me?! I'M ME!!! I'm a big deal you know! Then again, I'll have to take up a certain responsibility. Damn, what a drag...Plus I'll need a title. I guess I could be the God of Awesomeness! That ain't taken!" He said.

"If I train with you, then can I be a Demigod?!" I asked.

"Kid, you'd be training with a God level badass. You'll be over any God- other than myself of course." He said.

"Awesome!" I smiled with anticipation. I had to earn his training! I just had to!

"I guess I'm already playing my role as the God of Super Amazing Awesomeness!" Haruka grinned.

We both had noticed that the boat had stopped and was docked at a large underworld island. The island had a fairly large city with enormous, gothic style houses, a cathedral, a large school building, a few eccentric looking shops and a large castle at the edge of the town.

"Damn...This place looks pretty...wealthy…" I mumbled with sweat running down my face.

"Aww c'mon, now! You were a prince before, right? You'll fit it with these rich pricks, no sweat!" He said as he patted my back.

I sighed. "Alright…" I looked down at my torn up clothes from my fight with Zero. "You mind helping me out at least?"

"Yeah, hold still." He put a hand on my chest and I watched it glow. "Anything in particular?"

"You know what'll help the most so...Surprise me, dude."

"Alright, here goes! Ward of Creation: Clothes Beam!" He yelled.

My body began to let off a bright white glow for a split second. As quickly as it started, it soon ended. I was now standing in a black blazer with a dark red trim and a dark red undershirt with the top two buttons undone. I had black fingerless gloves on and a black cross around my neck. As for my lower body, I wore a pair of loose, black dress pants with a black belt that had a holster for my twin daggers that he gave to me. My footwear consisted of black and red, formal boots.

I looked at myself and grinned. "Whoa! Thanks Haruka!"

"Heheh… Don't mention it. Now, this is where we part ways. We may not meet for a while but I do trust in your latent abilities kid. Which reminds me…" He paused and stuck his hand through a gold portal in his chest. He then pulled out a familiar looking sword that was still neatly sheathed. The sword gave off a golden aura and I could feel its power radiating from inside of its casing. "Shiro...Do you remember this sword?"

"How could I forget. It's the first epic thing I saw on my adventure. That's the Hanwasabi blade…" I muttered.

"The what?! No you dumbass! It's the Hanzuname Dragon blade! The legendary katana, of Wudai! The only weapon that could beat Sotokhan!" He barked at me.

"...Oh yeah! That blade. Why are you showing it to me?"

"Remember when you first held it and you fainted like a little girl due to its power?" He asked with a slight smirk.

"Fainted like a little girl, meh meh meh meh…" I mocked quietly.

"Well try and hold it now." He said.

I hesitated at first but then reached out and grabbed the hilt. I pulled the glowing blade out from the sheath and stared at it with awe. "I forgot how beautiful this thing was."

"How do you feel?" Haruka asked.

"Like a freaking BOSS!!!" I yelled.

He smiled. "Good. Now it's all yours kid." He said.

My eyes bulged outta my head. "WHAT?! YOU'RE REALLY JUST GIVING IT TO ME?!?!"

"Sure am. It's yours. I don't need it anymore. Wudai is guaranteed safety now. The blade deserves to finally taste the blood of newer enemies." He said as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "You got this Shiro. I wouldn't have given that to you if I didn't think you had it in you. You're gonna do big things kid. Now show me that I'm right!"

I took the now sheathed sword and placed it on my back. It deserved to stay there. "I won't let you down! I swear to you that I won't!" I said to him while getting a little emotional.

"I know you won't...Now I'm gonna get the heck up outta here. I'll catch ya later!" He said. He then performed seven different hand signs and then vanished in a puff of black smoke. I looked back at the castle and began to climb the stairs. I had confidence in me. Much more than before. If Haruka believed I me, then I could do anything!

Wasting no time at all, I walked inside the huge castle and looked around for anyone. "Hello? Anyone in here?!"

"HALT!" Yelled two large men with red armour and large axes. They quite literally came out of nowhere!

"Oh shit! I didn't even see you guys!"

"State your name and business child!" One of them said.

"You have arrived during the council of high devils! You dare show up unannounced?!" The other said.

"I'm Shiro Tatsugami! I'm here as Lady Kyra's personal guard!" I said boldly.

They looked at me and then at each other, then back at me. "You are the one with connections to Hazen Reach, correct?" One said. I nodded at them both. "Very well. You may enter. Lady Kyra is expecting you in the council room."

"Go left and head straight down the hallway. Her and the other devils are discussing the state of the Nether Realm." The other said.

"Thanks you guys." I followed their directions and walked over to the council room. Once I opened the large doors, everyone seemed to stop their conversations to look at me. I stared back with a feeling of awkwardness. "H...hey everyone…"

"Who is this boy?" A dark haired man asked with disgust.

"He doesn't seem like a long term. He may be fresh." Said an old woman.

"That sword on his back...It couldn't be…" A tall man muttered.

I scanned the room in order to read everyone's expressions. My eyes locked onto the teenage girl sitting at the head of the table. Her smooth black hair contrasted well with her bright red eyes. Her skin looked flawless and lips were so soft looking. Even her boobs were looking pretty good in that white button up shirt she was wearing. I could even see her black bra a little bit through the fabric. She had been staring directly at me with an unreadable expression. I grinned at her not even understanding why. She then smiled lightly at me, causing my heart to race.

"Everyone, please settle down. We have a special guest here with us." She said with a beautifully elegant yet authoritative voice. "I'd like to introduce you all to Shiro Tatsugami. My personal bodyguard and the newest member of my branch." They all nodded and turned back to their original positions. The girl who I assumed to be Kyra, waved me over to her. "Please, join me and the rest of the Aesma-Daeva branch."

I looked behind her and saw multiple different people. The first was a guy about three inches taller than me. He had reddish hair that covered his eyes. He nodded to me and I nodded back. Beside him was a girl with light brown hair and blue eyes. She waved nervously at me with her pink hair cascading down onto her face. Behind her was a guy with spiky orange hair. He looked at me as if he was trying to size me up. I look at him with sweat dripping down my face again. After him was a platinum blonde haired girl with teal eyes. She had a seductive smile on her feminine face. She was sexy as hell and I couldn't help but get flustered when she licked her lips and winked at me. Next to her was another blonde girl, only she was shorter and less developed. She had more of a cute demeanor. Her dark purple eyes held an impassive look on her face. Then there was the taller, whiter haired girl with a lovely body. She had all kinds of curves that left me feeling dizzy. Her emerald green eyes seemed to hold mischief and her smile towards me seemed very playful which contradicted her mature, womanly body. After her, there was a blue short haired girl with bright orange eyes. She seemed serious for some reason. Finally, there was a short little boy with his hair in a bowl cut. He seemed to be reading a book of some sort.

They all seemed cool for the most part...Well except for that orange haired guy. I decided to stand next to the busty blonde girl who continued to smile at me. She stood and hugged my arm, squeezing her chest against it and smiling at me all the while. I tried my hardest to shake away my perverted thoughts.

"Nice to finally meet you Shiro…" She whispered in my ear.

You know...Maybe hell wasn't really all that bad...


	30. Meet The Aesma-Daeva

(SHIRO'S POV)

After the stupidly long and boring meeting, the Aesma-Daeva branch was sitting in the huge living room talking about stuff. Asking me questions or just joking around. That part was mostly due to Gracia.

"What exactly is my job again? I asked the black haired girl in front of me.

"Your job as my personal bodyguard is to stay by my side at all times and watch over me. I, as the next in line to become Lucifer have a pretty large set of enemies that would revel in the fact that I was dead." She said.

"Oh, yeah…" I muttered. "I'm still kinda confused with why you picked me though."

"I do believe that you're one of the few people that can fix this imbalance between the Aether and the Nether Realms. I knew the moment I saw you in your dream that we'd meet." She said. So she pretty much knew that I was gonna die…

"Wow...That's pretty fucked up. Still though. Why aren't any of them your bodyguards?" I asked while pointing to the group behind me.

"Hmm...I suppose now is as good a time as any to introduce you to my branch. As you know I am Kyra Aesma-Daeva. The next full blooded demon to be Lucifer." She said.

The orange haired guy stepped up and glared at me. "Vauz Clemont. I'm Lady Kyra's personal chef."

"You're swole ass is a cook?!"

"Damn right! You got a problem with a tough guy like me cooking some good ass food?!" He yelled in my face.

"N...no! Do you man…" I said defensively.

"Tch...Little bitch." He grumbled.

"I...I'm Olivia Frazier…" The smaller, brown haired girl said shyly. "I'm Lady K...Kyra's personal...assassin." That took me by surprise. She looked so sweet and innocent.

"My turn!" Yelled the curvy white haired, brown skinned woman. "My names Gracia Kingsley. It's so nice to meet you!" She said happily.

"Heheh...It's nice to meet you too." It was REAL nice.

"I'm Lady Kyra's personal tinkerer. I can make and break a ton of stuff! It's kinda like my specialty!" She said with a wide, bubbly smile.

"Gracia is extremely talented when it comes to crafting just about anything in the underworld. I trust her to make all of my needed equipment." Kyra said.

"I suppose that I am next." Said the blue haired girl with a serious expression. "Nyne Keirie. Lady Kyra's personal researcher."

"Nyne is like, SUPER smart. She knows just about anything." Gracia praised.

"Neat." I spoke with a grin.

Kyra pointed to the red haired guy and smiled. "Jyro Cesura is his name. He's my very special blacksmith."

"Me and Jyro can make some of the coolest gear EVER!" Gracia shouted.

The short, dark blonde girl walked over to me and stared with her indifferent expression. "...Uh...Hi…" I muttered.

"I can tell that you're a pervert." She said bluntly.

"W...what?!"

"Your eyes are more fixated on the breasts of Lady Kyra, Gracia, Naomi, and Nyne. You've also snuck a couple glances at their rear ends as well." The short blonde said.

"I am highly offended that you'd accuse me of such unspeakable acts!" I said knowing damn well that she wasn't wrong.

"You're pathetic." She spat at me.

I hung my head in shame. "Women are my ultimate weakness…" I then felt something super soft on my back as two arms wrapped around my neck.

"Aww, don't worry about Helena. I don't mind if you look at me~" Said the girl with platinum blonde hair and the amazing chest. I almost fainted.

"Honestly Naomi! Please control yourself!" Kyra said as she facepalmed.

Naomi let out a small giggle before letting me go. "Anyway, my name is Naomi Tsujihara. I'm Kyra's lovely advisor. The small one is Helena Katharina. She's the messenger." Naomi said with a wink.

That's when the last one of the group walked up to me. "That sword on your back is so cool!"

I lifted up the sword and grinned. "Sure is! This baby saved all of Wudai!"

Naomi's eyes perked up. "That's the Hanzuname Dragon Blade! How did you get that?!"

"Oh this? Haruka just gave it to me. A few hours ago." I said. Everyone stared at me like I was insane. "...What?"

"Haruka Blade?! You know THE Haruka Blade?! How the hell does some shitbird like you know the all time greatest ninja?!" Vauz yelled at me.

"Me and my old crew helped him save Wudai. He didn't really need all that much help. He kinda kidnapped our healer though so I thought he was a bit of a dick." I said with a shrug.

"Shiro, Haruka is the man that was practically worshipped for his role in protecting Wudai and defending it himself. That sword on your back has saved my home multiple times." Naomi said.

"Wait, you're from Wudai? I thought you were a demon."

"I used to be alive. I wasn't born a demon like Kyra. I used to be the daughter of Wudai's general Xiang Tsujihara. He and my mother raised me to respect and worship our savior Haruka. To meet someone that actual knows him is just so...so amazing!" Naomi smiled.

I tried not to let the praise go to my head but that was becoming a very difficult task. "Heh, me and Haruka were pretty cool. Hell, him and my mentor Eliza were drinking buddies."

"Whoa! You gotta tell us more about your old life!" The little boy said happily. I really need to figure out his name.

"Well, not to brag or anything, but I was the strongest in my group. There was this guy named Clyde, right. He used to look up to me and everything. He wanted to be me so badly. Guy was pretty lame. Hmm...Oh and then there's my future self, Tatsu. He's cool as hell!"

"Is he strong?" Jyro asked with a deep, serious voice.

"Hmm? Oh yeah. Dude is the strongest guy in the universe. Then again, he is me. Guy can control time, lift like a million pounds, teleport and clone himself. Best of all, is his dope ass weapons. He gave me two of them to start out with."

"Show us!" Gracia yelled with excitement in her green eyes.

"Feast your eyes on Fanny Pack style!" I reached my hand through the portal and yanked out my Gilgamesh Grips. I put the gauntlets and the boots on and grinned. "These babies give me the right to tell physics to kiss my ass! Couple these with my other badass sword, Black Inertia, and I'm practically unstoppable!" I said as I pulled out the huge, black, greatsword.

"Holy shit!" Vauz yelled as I effortlessly swung it around.

"I guess I made the right choice, picking you for the role of my bodyguard then." Kyra said with a smile.

"You bet your sweet ass you did! I can kick hella ass now!" I said.

"Well good. I think that I wanna see your potential on display. We'll all go to the field out back of the castle and see what you can do." Kyra said.

"Alright! Let's do it!"

We all walked towards the back end of the castle and towards the large field. Kyra and I walked over to the middle as everyone else sat at the patio tables and watched.

"Ok Shiro...You are familiar with the term 'sparring' right?" She asked with a light smirk as she slowly unbuttoned her white shirt.

"Uh, yeah...why?" I asked.

"Good. I want you to do a very small amount of sparring against me." She said.

"What?! I can't spar you! What if I hit a titty or something? I can't ruin something so beautiful like that!" I yelled.

She blushed for a moment before shaking it off. "D...don't worry about that. I'm just gonna see what you can really do. Now, even though you're my bodyguard, don't take me lightly. I'm still a very powerful devil."

"Right. I gotcha." I said before getting into a stance.

She dropped her white button up shirt to the ground and faced me with just her black bra on. I could feel my face heating up and I tried not to look.

She smiled at me and lifted a hand up. "Come on Shiro! Don't just stand there. This is your chance to actually get a feel...if you can."

She was just gonna tempt me like that?! I had to grab at least one dammit! I just had to! "Fine! You asked for all of this!" I channeled my soul energy into my legs, and jumped at her with intense ferocity. I outstretched my arms as I got in close. "Finally! Some grope action!" I yelled with drool coming down my mouth.

"That's the spirit."

-Back on Earth Realm-

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Enough!" Said a figure in the distance.

Zero and I looked back and stared at a man dressed in a blood red, hooded ninja gi as he approached us.

"Who the hell is that?" Zero asked out loud.

"Is that Haruka Blade?" I asked.

"Who?"

"He's one of the strongest men on the planet. He's a legend." I said.

"What's he doing here then?" Zero asked.

Haruka stopped in front of us with a cold look. "It's time for this to end. You BOTH need to ready yourselves." He grabbed both of us and moved us over to the bleachers with everyone else.

"What the hell?! What are you doing here Haruka?!" Eliza asked.

"Two years…" He said.

"What?" Gabby asked with confusion.

"You have two years to prepare yourselves for the war on both the Aether and Nether Realms." He said.

"But this is Earth Realm. That has nothing to do with us." Xena said.

"Wrong! Earth Realm is where the battle will take place. You're going to have to get ready for a fight, regardless."

"What?! Why?" Isabel asked.

"Simple. This is neutral ground. Neither would dare to invade the other's land. That'd be suicide. They are going to fight here and you're going to be caught in the crossfire."

"Wait, Haruka." Tatsu spoke.

"Yes...Person who I've never seen before."

"Have you seen Shiro is Hell yet?" He asked. This made everyone go silent.

"H...He's in Hell?!" Isabel said with a sad tone.

"Yes and he's fine. He with Lady Kyra now. He'll be able to hone his skills with her help." He said.

"So he's still gonna be getting stronger…" I muttered. That means that I couldn't slack off either. He did more damage to Zero than I did. I need to improve!

"Wait! Who the hell is Kyra?" Gabby asked with an annoyed grunt.

"She's the girl that's next in line to be Lucifer. She's very powerful and requested that Shiro be her bodyguard."

"Tch...Yep. Makes sense." Gabby grumbled. I wasn't sure why she was upset given what happened between the two but I decided that it wasn't important.

"Listen to me when I tell you all that there's not much time left for you all to be slacking off. Shiro will be fighting for the devils while also fighting for the angels. He's got a special part to play in this war. If he succeeds, then he'll have both sides as allies."

"...And if he fails?" Eliza asked.

"Then the devils, angels or both will be destroyed along with Earth Realm." Haruka said.

"Oh shit…" Gabby muttered.

"Yeah...It sucks doesn't it?" Haruka said back.

"Well...You heard the man." Eliza yelled. "We got two years to prepare for that day! Since my apprentice kind of died…" She glared at Zero. "...I'll be training you instead, Gabby."

"That's fine by me."

"Clyde, you'll be resuming your cryomancy training. Your fight showed me some of your flaws first hand. It's time to shift your mindset and build up your ice." Xeto said.

I bowed to him. "Yes master Xeto."

"Isabel. I have a new form of training for you. Your healing capabilities are most admirable and your hand to hand combat is flawless. However, it's your judgment that must be improved." Amora said to her.

"Y...yes ma'am!"

"Well, with that being said, I think that I'm gonna take off for a bit." Tatsu said.

"Where you headed to?" Eliza asked.

"I gotta go talk to someone very important. God level, importance. Don't worry. I'll be back in a few hours." He said before teleporting away.

"...Ok, who is that guy?" Haruka asked.

"That's Shiro from the future." I said.

"Seriously?! That's what he grows up to look like?! How'd he learn Hex's Trickster Technique? Hex died before Shiro was even born." He asked.

"He can travel through time with chronomancy. I can only assume that he met this Hex person that way." I said.

"Wow...Older Shiro isn't messing around. What's he doing in this timeline?"

"His timeline was destroyed by his other, more evil self." Eliza said.

"Damn...That's nuts…" Haruka muttered. He sighed. "Must've been strong if I didn't stop him."

"Tch...This is a waste of time." Zero said before stepping over to the regenerating Koriju. He turned around and waved to Gabby. "I'll see you around."

"Yeah...Take it easy ok." She said with a small smile.

He nodded before his frost hydra flew off into the sky. Gabby stared up at his leaving form. I looked back with narrowed eyes. I guess I was the only one that still felt bad that Shiro just died.

"Well...I'm off. Remember to get stronger. All of you. I'll see you all again in two years. Be safe." He said before poofing away, leaving only a small log with a middle finger carved into it.

It wouldn't be long now. War was actually coming and our little group was getting more and more separated by the day.

-Back in Hell-

(SHIRO'S POV)

I laid face down in the grass with a bruised body. I struggled back up to my feet and looked at Kyra with an exasperated stare while she put her shirt back on.

"What the hell do you need a bodyguard for?! You just whooped my ass! Worst of all, I didn't even get one singular squeeze in!" I yelled at her.

"Oh relax you big baby. I didn't mean to hurt you that bad. You were so focused on my breasts that I couldn't help but make you pay for it."

"That's pretty freaking cruel if you ask me…" I mumbled with annoyance.

"Are you really that upset that you couldn't get one singular touch." She asked.

"...Yes." I said shamelessly.

"Fine." She simply said before she hugging me tightly. My eyes snapped open as I felt her chest up against mine. This was just out right insane. I almost had a heart attack. "Please don't let simple distractions get you hurt in a real battle. You're apart of MY branch now. That means that your precious to me. You may be my bodyguard, but I still don't want to see you hurt." She said softly as she eased herself off of me. "Got it?"

"Y...yeah…" I said, still in absolute shock. Even though we just met, I never knew how much a girl could mess with my head. Gabby was one thing and while I can say I liked her a lot, Kyra was just unexplainable. A simple hug plus her sweet words made me feeling something that I rarely ever felt in my life. Needed. To be reliable to someone. I failed a lot, but now, I was being told that I was precious to someone that I just met. Such simplicity made my heart race. The hug wasn't JUST a hug. It was a warm welcome to a new family. A place that I could feel relevant.

"Good. Now come with me. I've gotta show you your living arrangements here." She said.

"I'm actually staying here?!" I asked.

"Well of course you are. Everyone in my branch lives with me. You are no exception. You're the one that needs to protect me when the situation calls for it." She said. I couldn't take it anymore. I brought my arm to my eyes and tried to wipe away the wetness. "Oh no. Did I say something wrong?"

"...N...no! It's just...thank you Kyra…"

"For what?" She asked me.

I sniffled and looked at her with a determined look. "For putting your faith in me. I swear, I won't let anything happen to you!"

They all die...

"S...Shiro." She muttered.

They're all executed...

I could feel my eyes flash purple as I remembered Tatsu's words when he told me about them. This was it. These were the people I had to protect. Kyra...All of them...They needed to be safe. I couldn't lose them all. I want them to be alive! They won't die! I swear, I won't let that happen.

"Don't worry Kyra. I'm fine. I'll take care of you. I'll take care of you all. I promise." I said.

"I'm glad to hear it. Now let's go already!" She said as she tugged me back over to the rest of the group. "I'm going to go show Shiro to his room. You all may do as you please for the rest of the day. Enjoy it. Tomorrow, we have to go back to school."

"W...wait. School?! Demons have to go to school?! For what?" I asked.

"It's important for the higher class demons to stay educated. It's what separates us from the slave demons. The upper level demons are the ones that handle diplomatic, political and economical issues. As the next in line to be Lucifer, I need to learn the most about my future job. Those in my branch are expected to comply with similar standards in terms of education." She said.

"Damn…" I haven't ever been to an actual school. In all of my years of learning, it took place within the palace. I never went to a public or even a private school. Back when I was little, I only ever had a personal teacher. I don't know how the fuck school works! God this sucked!

"It'll be fine! It's not much different from a high school in Earth Realm." She said.

"...Yay me…" I grumbled.

She walked me all over the castle and showed me around. It had been so long since I had lived in such a large place. It was a little overwhelming.

Once we got to my room, I stared at it with my jaw hung open. A king sized red and black bed, a soft looking red couch that sat by a fireplace, a large desk, a black chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room, a black bookshelf that I'm never gonna use, a walk in closet stocked with clothes, a personal bathroom and a large painting of my face that was apparently done thirty minutes ago.

"So what do you think?" She asked me with a smile.

"This place is awesome!" I shouted happily.

"I'm glad it's to your liking. I know that you used to be a prince so I tried to make it feel a little bit close to your standards." Little did she know that my standards were pretty low after breaking my back from sleeping on multiple different floors for damn near two years.

"Seriously Kyra. This is great. Thank you." I said with a grin.

Her face reddened and she nodded. "I'll let you make yourself at home then." She walked out and shut the door behind herself.

The first thing I did was take off my new sword along with most of my clothes leaving me in just my pants. The second thing I did was flopped down on my fresh ass bed. I pulled Vizeron's contract out of my pocket and laid it down softly on a pillow.

I stared up at the ceiling, still in thought. Kyra was so cool. She's strong both physically and mentally. Then there's her obvious beauty. She looks amazing. She wasn't the only one though. Gracia...goddamn did she look good. Plus she seemed fun as hell! Then there was Naomi...Man she seems willing to get down. That's that good shit!

"We made it Viz. Let's do our best, okay?" I said before passing out.

-In the Future-

(NO POV)

"...You got some fucking bullshit nerve, showing your coward ass face to me. To much of a bitch to send the real one back where he belongs?" Said a white haired man with glowing purple tattoos on his upper body. He sat atop a throne that was located in what used to be Asgard. Twenty bare women locked up in chains and shackles resting at his feet.

"Look at you...You're still as cocky as ever. How you been Shiro?" Asked the brown haired man in the black and green reaper like outfit.

"Tch...Don't call me that ever again!" The white haired man growled.

"Relax. I'm here to talk to you. Shiro to Shiro. That good with you?" The man in green said.

"Don't test me Tatsugami! I will kill you one way or another and take back all of my powers. Including chronomancy!"

"Right...anyway, I just wanted to let you know that your gonna be the only Metagenesis in existence. Congratulations buddy." Tatsu said.

"What are you talking about?" Metagenesis asked.

"I can already assure that this one will not be forming an evil bastard like yourself. Therefore, I'm just about ready to erase your ass."

"You bitch...Don't think that this is over! I'll find you. Either you'll come back, or I'LL find you myself." Metagenesis said maliciously.

"Whatever you say Shiro…"

That's when Metagenesis shot a blast of destruction at Tatsu's clone, causing him to fade away.

"One fucking day…" He hissed.

(TATSU'S POV)

"Thanks Rolix. I owe you one." I said to him.

"You need not thank me Shiro. I dread the day of my death and I'm willing to aid you in any way I can prior to that."

"So how much longer do you have left?"

"I fear that my final days will in fact be quite soon. The sands of time are slowing down." He said.

"Let me help you! I'm here now! I can fix your condition!" I said to him.

"No my friend. I've been put on this world by God to watch over time. I can no longer fulfill my duties as the chronomancer. In your timeline, you took over for me. Your younger self may have to do so in this one as well."

"Yeah, I know. This timeline doesn't seem all that different from mine, minus a few tweaks here and there." I said.

"Make sure that young Shiro gets my abilities if he's too late to find me Tatsu. The cycle must continue." Rolix sighed. "I fear for the near future."

"He'll be ready. I know he will."

(SHIRO'S POV)

After about a good hour long nap, I decided to wake myself up and go greet the others. If this was gonna be my new life then I'd have to make the best of it. They all seemed pretty okay at first glance. Especially the ladies. I just had to play it cool. Hell, I might even be able to get some after all of this!

I glanced at Viz's contract and sighed. I left it on the pillow and grabbed my previously discarded clothes. I threw them on and headed outside. Apparently it was still, 'daytime' in Hell so dinner wasn't exactly ready yet. I walked around the large castle with a confused expression on my face. Needless to say I was lost. I kept walking until I bumped into someone.

WHAT THE HELL?!" Yelled an angry Vauz. He was pissed.

"My bad dude. I'm just looking for everyone."

"Well Kyra is in her room, some of the others are in the living room and I think Nyne is in the study." He huffed.

"Where are you about to go?" I asked.

"WHERE THE HELL DO YOU THINK?! I'M A GODDAMN COOK!" He snapped.

"So...the kitchen…"

"No shit, smartass! Dinner ain't gonna cook itself." He said with a glare.

He stomped of with his hands in his pocket and I decided to go to the living room where I found Naomi, Gracia, Jyro, Olivia and Helena. All were sitting amongst themselves chatting away about something. I heard my name come up so I decided to hide on the side and eavesdrop.

"I...guess S...Shiro's okay. He seems...pretty nice." Olivia stuttered. I grinned at that.

"Seriously? The guy's just some sick pervert with nothing better to do with his time but stalk girls." Helena said coldly. I lost my grin instantly.

"Aw c'mon Helena. Lighten up! I bet he's super fun!" Gracia said with her usual happy smile.

"Yeah. It's only natural that he'd be attracted to such beautiful woman such as ourselves. I honestly don't blame him." Naomi said. It was true...

"No way! I can't stand guys like him! He's only thinking with his freaking dick! Guys like that are absolutely revolting!" Helena hissed.

"But you gotta admit, he's really good looking. I mean, I bet he's all chiseled and shit." Naomi said with a small laugh. I couldn't fight off stupidly wide grin on my face. "You think he has a six or an eight pack?" She asked Gracia.

The white haired girl put a hand to her chin and looked up in thought. "Hmm, I dunno. It could be an eight but I can't tell."

"What do you think Olivia?" Naomi asked the shorter brown haired girl.

"I...I DON'T KNOW?!" She said with a super red face. She reminded me a lot of Izzy when we first met. She was so shy.

"I'll just have to see for myself then…" Naomi muttered.

"...I wish to see if he's as strong as he says he is…" Jyro grunted.

"Yeah, good point. I bet he's real strong if Kyra chose him specifically." Gracia said to him.

"Yeah, he's gotta be. I mean, Kyra rarely trusts anyone to guard her. Why she felt the need for one now, let alone a perverted mormon like him, kinda baffles me." Helena said. She wasn't pulling any punches.

"It might have something to do with Terrance Espada…" Naomi said. I wish I knew who the hell that was.

"You don't think that she wants Shiro to-" Gracia started.

"No." Naomi stopped her. "It might not be that drastic...At least I hope not."

Deciding that I had heard enough, I walked back upstairs and towards my room that so happened to be conveniently next to Kyra's. I stepped inside and my room and sat on my couch. I had to think about a few things. Right now, my mind kept drifting towards the Terrance guy. I already felt like he was going to be a problem and I didn't even know what he looked like.

"Damn it Viz. I need someone to talk to right about now…"


	31. Dried Sweat

(SHIRO'S POV)

"GOOD GOD!" I yelled as I looked at the large building in front of me. "Public school looks terrible!" I hated everything about it. The fact that I had to wake up early every weekday morning and put on this wack ass uniform was terrible! I had to wear black pants and a grey dress shirt with a goddamn red necktie!

"Oh lighten up. You're being overly dramatic." Kyra said to me.

"Trust me. You'll know when I'm being dramatic. This whole school thing ain't for me."

"It'll be fine. I promise." She said as she patted my shoulder.

"Sure it will...Are we at least gonna all be in the same class?" I asked.

"Nope! Sorry Shiro." Gracia said with her upbeat tone.

"Damn...So where am I supposed to go?!" I asked.

"Aw don't worry sweetie. You'll make some friends. I guarantee it.~" Naomi said while hugging me from behind.

"Hehehe, yeah…" I said, dazed.

"Shiro, come with me. I'll show you to your first class." Kyra quickly snatched my arm and tugged me inside the dreaded building. She walked me all over the place, showing me the entire school. The place was huge and filled with other demons. The problem according to Kyra, was that I stood out like an idiot. I was that generic new kid who didn't understand squat about being dead let alone a demon. Whispers could be heard throughout the entire school as they all stared at me.

Anxiety washed over me and consumed me completely. I was sweating nervously, and hoped that this would all end.

Noticing my panicked state, Kyra rubbed my hand soothingly. "Calm down. It's just school." She said.

"They all keep looking at me! Why the hell can't I be in your class again?" I asked.

"I'm in the devil ranked classes. That's where all of the political leaders and diplomats in the making go. If I'm taking over Hell, I'm gonna have to take those classes. Naomi is with me as well." She said.

"So I'm stuck with the below average chumps…" I groaned as we got to the door of my homeroom.

"You'll be fine. The people of my branch are top tier. That applies to you too. You'll be enrolled in battle class. As my bodyguard, it's important for you to understand the countless enemies that demons have to face."

I sighed. "Fine…"

She quickly hugged me and smiled. "Be good and I promise, you'll be rewarded!"

"What does that mean?"

"Leave it to your imagination. Now, go and learn something." She said as she pushed me through the door.

The class stared at me and the teacher scratched her head with a confused expression. I had to give her credit though. She looked good with her curly, brown hair and her womanly body...Goddamn I'm gonna fail…

"Mr...Tatsugami, am I correct?" She spoke.

"Y...yeah…" I stuttered.

She nodded. "Why don't you come up here and introduce yourself to the class."

"Fuck…" I muttered as I stuffed my hands in my uniform pockets and stomped over to the front. "Hey...I'm uh...Shiro Tatsugami...I'm from Hazen Reach...You know...on Earth Realm…"

"..." The class went wide eyed and started whispering to themselves. The teacher looked at me as well.

"Did you just say Hazen Reach?" She asked me.

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"N...no reason...Please continue."

"Uh, ok...Anyway...I'm Lady Kyra's personal bodyguard." I said to everyone.

"What?! You're Lady Kyra's bodyguard?! No freaking way!" Some green haired kid shouted. He yanked his earbuds out of his head and sprinted towards me. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me frantically. "Does that mean you live with her?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"Holy freaking shit! Dude, you gotta tell me what her size is!"

"Her size...What do you mean?" I asked.

"Aw you know." He made hand motions on his chest. "What's the rack on her?! I bet she packin' a couple of Ds!"

I blushed and backed away. "Y...you mean her freaking boobs?! Dude, I can't tell you that! Especially not in front of the class!" I yelled.

"Come on bro! You gotta tell me! My dream is to die in between those lovely pillows!" He said happily.

"That's quite enough mister Doblé." The teacher barked at him.

"Damn…" He walked back to his seat with a disappointed look.

"Mr. Tatsugami, you may take any open seat in the first row, except for the last one." She said.

There was only one open seat left then… I sighed as I sat by the window on the left side of the green haired guy. He put on his earbuds and started drawing in his notebook.

I looked at him and then back to the desk in the back of me and wondered who sat behind me. My question would be answered quickly as a white haired girl busted through the door as soon as the bell rung.

"I'm SUPER sorry teach! I swear, I won't be late again." She said.

"Please don't make promises you can't keep miss Kingsley." The teacher huffed. "Go and take your seat."

"Sorry, again miss Quin." Gracia bowed and turned to walk to her seat. When she saw me, her eyes lit up with joy. "SHIRO!"

"Uh...Hey Gracia." I waved.

She sat down in the seat behind me and pulled out a small juice box. "Can you believe it? We're in the same homeroom! This is gonna be awesome!"

"Wait?! You now Gracia too?! Where do you get your luck from man?" The green haired guy asked.

"Oh shut up Dub. Shiro here is part of Kyra's crew so naturally he'd know me!" She said before sipping her juice.

"I wanna join! Four of the best babes are in the Aesma-Daeva branch!" Dub yelled quietly.

"Too bad. You're apart of Lady Theta's branch. No switching." Gracia teased.

"Who's Theta?" I asked.

"Only the cruelest, meanest, most heartless witch in Hell!" Dub whispered.

"She's the daughter of Hades. She's in Kyra's class." Gracia explained after letting out a heavy burp.

"Oh...Makes sense."

Once homeroom ended, I started walking to my first block class. Gracia and Dub tagged along given the fact we all shared most of our classes together. As the classes went on I soon learned more about Dub. His real name is Deuce Doblé. He was a pretty cool guy and shared similar tastes to yours truly.

We all went down to lunch and ended up separating into different lines. Once I got my stuff, I met up with Dub. I saw the table with the rest of my branch and grinned as I started walking over to them. I noticed Dub head in a different direction so I decided to stop him.

"Yo Dub, why don't you come sit with us?" I asked.

"Nah, I probably shouldn't…"

"What? Why not? You seem cool enough." I told him.

He grinned at me. "Because Theta will castrate me…"

"Oh...Well, I guess I'll see you around then." I said as I dapped him up and headed over to Kyra's table. "Hey guys."

"Hello Shiro."

"Hey sweetie.~"

Kyra and Naomi said respectively. I plopped down in between the two of them and grinned. "Looks like we all have the same lunch. That's cool."

"Everyone eats lunch at the same time, you dimwit." Helena said to me.

"Oh...Well still. It beats eating lunch all alone." My eyes widened when I saw Gracia come back with an enormous tray of food. "Holy shit!"

"Yeah...Gracia tends to eat a lot." Kyra muttered.

"Where does it all go?" I wondered. Her body still was able to look so good even after dumping pounds of food into her system. It was kinda disgusting how she ate but I wasn't really one to talk.

"So how are you liking your first day so far?" Kyra asked as she neatly ate her food.

"Hmm? Oh, well I guess it's alright. Kinda boring though…" I would much rather be kicking BattleBeast ass or pissing off Clyde. Then I ended up thinking about them. My old crew. The friends that I made. Regardless of how me and Gabby were now, she was still my friend. Izzy was like the best person to talk to and Clyde...As much as I hate to admit it, he was one of the closest friends I've ever had. He motivated me to get stronger and without him, I would've never gotten this far. I was slowly starting to miss them. Eliza's brutal training, Tatsu telling me shit that happens and how I'm gonna be a badass...Damn…

"Yeah, it gets like that. Don't worry though. There's only two more classes left in the day. You'll be fine~" Naomi said as she hugged my arm. Goddamn hormones...

I noticed Kyra glance at Naomi with a certain look. It was a quite bitter one at that. She quickly grabbed my hand tightly and turned my head to her. "So...are you behaving yourself Shiro?"

"Y...yeah…"

"Good. Don't forget what I told you, ok." She said the a wink.

"I...I won't." I really wouldn't.

"Good." She simply said.

"What did you say to him?" Naomi asked as she pressed her chest even closer against my arm.

"Oh nothing. Just had a little chat with MY bodyguard." Kyra said defensively.

"Hmph! Fine, be that way. It's not like it'll matter anyway."

"And what is that supposed to mean?!" Kyra shot back.

"Oh nothing.~" Naomi dismissed the topic with a smile.

"Grr...Watch it Naomi." Kyra growled.

"So...What does everyone have next?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"O...oh, we all have Phys Ed." Olivia muttered.

"Oh really now? Seems like a pretty solid class then."

"Yeah! It's like SUPER fun! You'll love it!" Gracia said after swallowing her food.

"Right…"

-Twenty Minutes Later-

I was currently in the boy's locker room putting on a set of gym clothes. Dub came up behind me with a fat grin.

"Shiro my man! I believe I need to show you why PE is the best time of day."

"It's just excessive workouts…" I muttered.

"Please come with me my friend. You have much to learn."

I followed Dub to the right corner of the boy's locker room.

"Whats going on?" I asked.

"Shh…" He slide a wooden board on the wall to the side and showed me and opened air vent. "Alright dude, come on in."

"Uh, alright…" I crawled inside of the vent and moved forward.

"Keep it moving. We only gotta go forward."

Well, I did in fact keep going until I saw a bright light. Once I got to the other locked vent opening I stopped and looked at Dub.

"What the hell is over here?" I asked.

"See for yourself." He said with a grin.

I looked through the metal vent door and I almost passed out. My eyes widened and I couldn't control my now leaking nose. Dub led me to the girl's locker room where I was able to see ALL of the girl in my branch, Dub's branch and two others stripping down into NOTHING.

I looked back with a wide smile. "This is the greatest day of my life!" Titties, ass! Ass and titties! It was all just too much. I was drooling on myself.

"Yep. I hang here every day before PE starts and good lord is this amazing or what?"

"Dude, they're actually naked, and I get to see them naked! IN THE FLESH!" A tear of joy rolled down my face.

"Pretty cool ain't it? Don't you just want jump out and grabbed them?" Dub asked.

I stared at Kyra's bare chest as she slowly put her gym shirt on. I then looked at Naomi as she covered her sweet ass with those super short PE shorts. Gracia was still taking her bra off, Nyne was looking pretty damn good too. Once those glasses came off, she looked like a whole new woman. My eyes slowly drifted around and I even saw Olivia and Helena getting changed.

"I hope this never ends…" I sighed happily.

"Yeah...Dude check out Theta over there! Geez, witch or not, she's got a freaking goddess body!"

I leaned forward to get a better look which was a pretty bad move on my part. "Which one is her dude?"

"She's sitting on the back bench with Tara and Ushala." He said.

"Who are they?"

"The other girls in my branch dude! C'mon, you gotta be able to see her sexy ass from here!" Dub said as he pressed my head to the vent. Mistake two...

"Hmm...Oh wait, I think I see her." I said happily.

"Geez that shit is fat…Move over dude. I need a better look." Dub said.

"What? Dude, there isn't enough space!"

"Sure there is. Plus I only need a few seconds to paint a mental picture." He said.

"I don't think that's a good-"

~CREEEAAAKKK~

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" I started to panic as the vent bent downwards slightly. Dub slid into the vent door and fell through, landing in the middle of the girl's locker room. Multiple screams could be heard. I tried to hold myself in place, but that was becoming a real difficult chore for me as my heart practically fell out my ass. "No, no, no, no…" I muttered as my grip was slowly slipping.

"Really Dub?! That's the third spot this month!" Theta snapped at him.

~CREAK~

"God...Please…" I silently begged.

"Ladies please! It was a sign of flattery. I had to admire your lovely bodies!" Dub said defensively. A red head chick stomped on his chest and glared.

"You are getting real annoying Dub!" She yelled. Meanwhile, Gracia was cracking up, still not fully dressed.

~CREEEAAAKKK~

"...USELESS MOTHERFUCKER!!!" I yelled as I spilled out of the vent and landed right on Dub.

"SHIRO?!" Kyra yelled.

"Oh my~" Naomi giggled.

Gracia somehow ended up laughing even harder. Nyne and Olivia quickly covered themselves. Helena on the other hand was cracking her knuckles. A vein pulsating on the side of her forehead.

"...I have a very good reason for coming out of that vent…"

"I'd love to hear it!" Kyra barked back at me.

"...I uh...I was just…" I sighed. "I crumbled…."

"Damn right you crumbled!" Helena hissed as she and Kyra stepped forward with angry looks.

"Please work...TRICKSTER TECHNIQUE!" I shouted in hopes of teleporting like Tatsu. When it didn't work I simply just let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry…" I mumbled as I closed my eyes and prepared for impact.

(CLYDE'S POV)

"I...I just can't get it right!" I yelled with anger and exhaustion. I stared at Xeto, hoping for an explanation.

"You're so used to using your flames Clyde, that I'm afraid that learning cryomancy is gonna take a bit longer for you. Remember that you have to change your mana flow completely in order to master it." Xeto said.

"Damn…" I muttered.

"COME ON GABBY! SHIRO DID BETTER THAT! HOW YOU ARE LOSING IT NOW!" Eliza yelled at Gabriella as she attempted to land a single blow.

"Shut up!" Gabby yelled. She threw a jab, only to be flipped onto the snow.

"Pathetic! Is this the best you can do? Tazorac wouldn't approve of your current skill level!" Eliza said.

"Shut up!" Gabby yelled as she climbed to her feet and glared at Eliza.

Meanwhile, Amora and Isabel were levitating in the air. Amora was yelling multiple different things at her.

"FIRST TAZORAC, NOW SHIRO?!"

"I...I couldn't do anything…" Isabel sobbed.

"No! That is true only if you believe it to be true! You have the ability to help and you constantly do not! Tendencies like that will only get those you love killed! Aren't you sick of watching others getting hurt and you sitting on the sidelines? You are powerful Isabel. You need to show it!"

"I know...I...I want to…" Isabel's tears tugged at my chest but I knew that she needed more confidence in a fight. She rarely ever does join in, even when she's the best choice in certain situations.

"What happens if Gabby dies? Or if I die? Or even when Clyde dies?! You'll be alone! You won't ever see them again!"

"I know…"

I sighed and refocused on my training. I had to master this in order to learn the form of magic. I wouldn't move on until I did!

(TATSU'S POV)

The Realm of Time and Space...It's been a while since I've been here. I had a job to do and if I didn't complete it, I wouldn't be able to fix what Metagenesis did to my world.

I stood in between several opening and closing portals that traversed across multiple different universes. I'd be able to travel through each and get what I'd need to erase the plague on my timeline. The only issue was that I had no idea where any of these portals would take me and once I get there, I'd only be able to stay for one singular trip, never to go back to the universe again.

I looked around and then closed my eyes. "Ward of Time: Freeze Frame!"

Time around me stopped. I couldn't have a portal close on me as I entered it. God forbid half of me get through and I ended up missing my legs.

I looked around and decided to jump through a portal in front of me. I landed in the middle of some huge place the was nothing I've ever seen before.

~BANG~

"Shut the hell Milton!" Yelled a guy with blonde hair talking on a phone. He bumped into me and looked up with wide eyes. "Uh...I'm gonna call you back...No dude, your not gonna believe this shit…" He hung up and stared at me.

"...Yeah...Wrong portal…" I muttered.

"So what's your gimmick? You got an Arsenal too or are you just some freak is a suit?" He asked.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"New York…"

"Yep! Definitely the wrong portal! I'm gone!"

"Who the hell are you?!" He asked.

"Be careful kid...That arm of yours doesn't last too long…" I said before teleporting.

Once I got back to the frozen room of portals, I looked around and tried another one. This time, I landed in a huge futuristic city. I looked around for anyone in hopes of getting a clue about what was going on.

"Holy shit! No freaking way! You're him! You're Shiro Tatsugami?!" Yelled a lavender haired teenager that was oddly familiar to Clyde.

"Uh...Yeah…"

"Dude, you're even in your vengeance suit! So awesome!" He said.

"...Sleep punch!" I yelled before jabbing him in his gut. He dropped to the ground and passed out.

"This ain't a good enough place either…" I sighed as I went back. "This is gonna take forever…" I looked at the next portal and jumped through it. I was greeted by a graphic sight. I looked around and glared at the countless dead bodies. Rubble was everywhere. In the distance, I saw what looked to be a nearly destroyed tower. "Oh my God…" I decided to see what became of this place. "Ward of Time: Time Skip Rewind!" As I flashed back in time I noticed something that looked all too familiar. I realized that I was in an alternate future. This was one of the places that I needed to be. One of the nine outcomes that could flow from the string of fate. "Suppression!" I said as I went invisible. I walked over to the scene and saw a chained up kid. A shady looking man in a red suit looked at him.

"You failed. You're one purpose has been eradicated. You are now the next vessel for me to take hold of." The man said.

"Please...just kill me…" The boy say in a broken, emotionless voice. He had shackles around his bloody, torn apart hands.

"Oh no...I couldn't possibly kill you now. Not when we're having so much fun!" The man banged a steel pipe against the back of the boy's skull. The child didn't flinch. He just took the pain. "Say it…"

"I am an abomination…"

~BANG~

"What else boy?!" The man asked.

"I'm a tainted soul…"

~BANG~

"Go on…"

"...I'm scum...I'm worthless trash that deserves eternal loneliness…"

~BANG~

~BANG~

~BANG~

The man, mercilessly beat the child face in with the steel pipe before discarding it.

"Good...You know that you're nothing but filth. You caused this plague! You're nothing but a useless wretch!" The man grabbed a dagger and stabbed the kid in the chest repeatedly. "Trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, trash, TRASH, TRASH, TRASH, TRASH, TRASH, TRASH, TRASH!!!"

The boy sat there, blood dripping down his carved chest. His tissue was slowly healing, preventing him from dying and escaping this nightmare. "Please, just...kill me…"

The man stuffed a hand into the boys chest and tasted the blood himself. "No. I don't think I will kill you yet boy."

"Why? Just end this…"

~SMACK~

The man slapped the boy with a bloody hand. "Learn you place you piece of filth. It's your own fault for being a worthless demon! You only have your miserable self to blame you dirty half breed! Your mother perished because she wanted to fall for Satan! She made a grave mistake that costed her, her own life. Now her bastard son will die too!" The man summoned a bright sword and aimed it at the little boy. "Now, say it one last time so I can savor it."

The boy's black hair soon turned blood red and his wounds completely healed. He looked at the man with cold silver eyes. "I...I'm an abomination...I'm a tainted soul...I'm scum...I'm worthless trash that deserves eternal loneliness...but above all else...I'm Haruka Blade...and I'm a devil!" The boy ripped the chains from the wall and and tackled the man.

"FILTHY DEMON!!!"

"I told you to kill me...You didn't listen…" The boy thrusted his hand through the man and started ripping out his organs.

"STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP THIS NOW!!!"

"...Why don't you make me you son of a bitch…" The boy said in his broken tone.

The man tried to reach for his sword but failed to do so. The boy stomped a foot on the man's chest and picked up the sword. He slit his palm open and wiped the holy blade with his blood. The sword turned from blue and gold to red and silver.

"God will llsmite you boy! You will not get away with such blasphemy!" The man yelled.

"Shut up and die already…" The boy said before taking the sword and stabbing it down into the man. The boy huffed and turned in my direction. "You shouldn't be here." He said to me.

My eyes widened and I dropped my invisibility. I stepped out and looked at him. "Hey Haruka...Do you...know who I am?"

"No...I don't…I'm leaving now." He said as he got ready to leave.

"WAIT!" I yelled.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"...I'm sorry about this kid." I opened my palm out and reached into a portal. I pulled out my Hanzuname Dragon Blade and pointed it at him. "That sword...I need it!" I said to him.

"Tch...You want it? Come and get it…"

(SHIRO'S POV)

Well, school ended...and my face looked like a dropped cake courtesy of Helena and Kyra. When Vauz heard about it, he was in tears. Everyone was sitting in the living room either reading or doing homework. I was intentionally trying to avoid it much to Kyra's annoyance.

"C'mon Shiro! You gotta at least try." She said.

"No way! I'm a fighter! I don't need demonic algebra!"

"Oh, c'mon Shiro. I'll tutor you personally if you want." Naomi whispered in my ear.

"GREAT!" I shouted happily.

"No! Nice try Naomi!" Kyra growled.

"Aww...Worth a shot~" She winked at me. I shook the redness from my face.

"Am I missing something?" I asked.

"Nope." Both said.

"Right...So do I still have to do this?"

Yes! I'm still mad at you!" She yelled.

"Damn…"

"Serves you right you sick pervert!" Helena shouted at me.

"It was Dub's idea! It just so happened to be a brilliant one with poor execution."

"Only a couple of perverts like you would think that." Helena barked back at me.

I groaned as I banged my head on the coffee table. "This is terrible!"

"I know right! Homework is the worst!" Gracia yelled. "Hey Vauz, is dinner almost ready?"

"Yeah. Just give it a minute! Geez…" He grumbled.

"Hey Shiro!" Yelled the small black haired boy as he came running out towards me with a grin.

"What is it Francis?"

"I found something really cool in your room!" He said.

"And that would be…"

"A PUPPY!!!"

"REALLY?! I WANNA SEE!!!" Gracia yelled happily.

"Holy shit! Vizeron!" I said as I ran upstairs and into my room. I busted through the already opened door and saw him frantically running in circles on my bed.

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap,oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!" He yelled with panic.

"Viz!" I shouted with a smile.

He stopped his running and looked at me with big, wet, puppy eyes. "B...Beta Male!" He jumped up and tackled me. "Holy shit, man! It was all dark! There was just bleak nothingness. Then I heard Haruka's voice and then I started dreaming, then I woke up here! W...where the hell are we?!"

"Welcome to Hell." I said with a shrug.

"HELL?! But I was such a good boy!"

"Don't worry. We're in the cool part. Now, I gotta introduce you to a few people." I said.

"Wait, so are we still dead?" He asked.

"Yep."

"Oh...So no more of Ms. Izzy's cooking…"

"Don't worry. Vauz is pretty damn good too." I told him.

"Who?!"

"C'mon and I'll show you!" I said. I carried him downstairs and to the rest of the Aesma-Daeva branch. "Guys, I want you to meet Vizeron. He's my partner and one of my best friends!"

"He's so CUTE!!!" Gracia yelled as she scooped him up from my arms. "Hi little guy!"

Vizeron blushed a bit and barked happily. "Sup!"

After getting Viz acquainted with everyone, we all decided to sit and have dinner.

"You were Haruka's partner?! That's awesome!" Vauz said.

"Trust me...It hurt…" Viz muttered.

"You two must've had so many adventures." Naomi said.

"Well, there was that time Shiro, Clyde and I fought that bard...Then we joined in on a vampire vs werewolf war. Shiro got married!"

"Shut up Vizeron!" I hissed

"Married huh? Who was the lucky girl Shiro?" Naomi giggled.

"T...that's not important! It didn't last long anyway…" I muttered.

"What else...Oh yeah! Shiro also got his butt whooped by Clyde in the finals of a magic tournament." Viz smirked. I glared at him and had to resist the urge to strangle his little ass.

"I was close!" I yelled.

"It's ok Shiro~" Naomi said in order to reassure me. It didn't work.

"This Clyde...Is he strong?" Jryo asked.

"He's stronger than Shiro." Viz spoke.

"...Don't kill him Shiro...You just got him back…" I huffed out to myself.

"Alright everyone! Dinner is served!" Vauz said as he and the the other servants brought out multiple plates. "A wide assortment of meats, pastas and freshly baked biscuits."

"YES!!!" Gracia and Viz shouted happily.

We all began to chow down and it soon became apparent to me that this place was now like more of a home to me. I was comfortable and it made me feel at ease.

Once dinner finished, Viz and I started walking towards our room talking about our current situation in Hell. It was an odd adjustment but the people here at the Aesma-Daeva estate were surprisingly kind to us and treated us with the utmost respect.

Viz and I made it to our room and I opened the door. Viz wasted no time jumping up on the bed. Before I could go inside, Kyra tapped my shoulder.

"Huh? What is it Kyra? Are you ok?" I asked.

"Yes Shiro. I'm very much ok." Her face seemed to grow pink as she fiddled with her tight, red shirt.

"So what's up?" I asked.

"W...well, I...Nevermind!" She said quickly before turning around and hiding her face in her hands.

"What is it?!" I was growing more and more confused by the second.

"I just wanted to...Stay in your room…" She muttered shyly.

My face heated up instantly. "You wanna come in MY room?! But why me?"

"Well you ARE my bodyguard. Plus, you're probably the best choice." She said

"Best choice?"

"I mean that of everyone here, you're most likely the one who's willing to go through with me sleeping with you."

I almost toppled over. Did she really just say that?! "B...but I thought that I was still in trouble…"

"Oh you are. Which is why I have something planned for you." She smirked.

"What would that be?" I asked nervously.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Now may I come in or not?" She asked cutely.

"Sure. I don't think that I have any right to tell you no."

"Good. Just give me a minute. I need to go and change into my nightwear." She said with sudden happiness as she ran next door, into her room..

"...Oh boy…"

(CLYDE'S POV)

I laid down on my mattress inside of Xeto's place with Isabel and Gabby. I sighed with exhaustion. It was a long day a grueling training for all three of us. We were all feeling it deep down and it kind of sucked.

"I can't feel my arms…" Gabby muttered.

"I think my self esteem is now nonexistent. I didn't think Amora could be so mean." Isabel mumbled sadly.

"My mana is completely gone." I groaned.

"Geez, What the hell Shiro! What did Eliza and Tatsu make you do?!" Gabby asked with a pained gasp as she attempted to move.

"...I still can't believe he's actually dead. It's so weird to think about. The fact that he isn't here with us is...just so unsettling…" Isabel said.

"Yeah...We finally all come back together and he's the one stuck in Hell. I hate to think that maybe I should've just pushed through my loss of mana and fought anyway! He shouldn't have died!"

"I'm not exactly glad that he died either, but I can come to terms with it." Gabby said.

"Come to terms with it?! How can you say that so easily?!" I snapped.

"Shiro fought hard. Zero saw him as a threat so that's probably why he forced his actions. You can't say that Shiro wasn't warned prior to the fight by most if not all of us. He knew what he was getting into."

"Are you even a little upset that he's gone?" I asked.

"No shit Clyde! I miss that big idiot...but regardless of if I miss him or not, I'm not gonna say it wasn't partially his fault. Either way, it's not exactly like we're never gonna see him again. I'm pretty sure that Tatsu ended up in Hell before and he made it out somehow so maybe Shiro can too." Gabby said to me.

"Yeah, that's a good point." I spoke.

"Plus, he's probably getting stronger down there. Isn't Hell supposed to be a cruel place?" Isabel asked.

"Yeah...I guess he will be strong. That only gives me more reason to master cryomancy."

(TATSU'S POV)

"What the hell happened to you?!" Eliza asked with a glare.

"Relax. I'm fine! I just had some trouble with a few places…" I spoke vaguely.

"Trouble?! Your right arm is bent the wrong way! You've got slashed across your now exposed chest and you're left eye is bruised!"

"Heheh, those two kids from dimension 1-03 were no joke. They punch harder than most people I've seen and that damn magical staff that they had was pissing me off. Then there was Haruka..."

"You need to go sit on the couch and wait for me to treat your wounds." She said to me.

"Why not just get Amora to do it?"

"She went somewhere with Xena…" Eliza said briefly.

"Oh...Where are the kids?"

"Upstairs sleeping." She grabbed a medical kit and sat down in front of me. "You mind doing something about that arm…" She said with a disturbed look.

"Oh yeah…" I grabbed my wrist and thrusted it upwards.

~CRACK~

My bone snapped back into place and I moved it around in order to relieve some of the pain.

"The fact that you can do that with little to no hesitation is disgusting."

"Gotta do what you gotta do." I shrugged.

"Right…" She opened the medical kit and pulled out some antibacterial spray. "Um, this might uh...sting a little."

"C'mon Eliza! I'm a grown man that fought countless monsters and faced off against the ultimate pinnacles of unspeakable evil. Some little spray isn't gonna sting."

"...Ok." She quickly sprayed down my wounds which caused my eyes to water.

"Oh shit! Goddamn! Stop, stop! FUCKING STOP!!!" I yelled.

"Seriously? Big grown up Tatsu can't even handle a little spray?" Eliza taunted.

"Not when you spray me like that!" I hissed.

She took a wet rag and wiped the blood off of my skin. She then pulled out a thread and needle. "I'm gonna stitch you up now. Is that ok?" She asked.

"Took the cuts, so I'm pretty sure I can take the stitches." I said.

She placed her hands on my chest and poked the needle through my skin. She started looping the thread in order to close my wounds. I winced a bit but tried to play it off to no avail. Eliza must've noticed my discomfort. "Anything on your mind?" She asked.

"You mean besides you?"

"Nice one jackass." She winked at me and grinned.

"Well, this may seem weird, but I'm worried about my younger self. He's different from how I was. I'm not entirely sure on how well he'll do in this world. He's just so much more...brash...irresponsible...He lacks the experience that he'll need in order to become a true warrior. He's much too driven by emotional turmoil." I told her.

"Isn't that how you were?"

"That was how I lost you in my timeline. I had the experience, but in order to get this powerful, I had to give up a lot of stuff. Truth is, I'm wrong no matter what I do."

She finished the stitches and put the bloody needle in the trash. "Turn around. "She ordered. I did as I was told. She wrapped the bandages around me and sighed. "Shiro is very motivated. Then again, you guys lost your home. I was raised by heartless thieves so I wouldn't know much about having a family or raising a kid or anything like that. I guess that's why being with the other mentors and their apprentices was kinda like a family for me. It was nice. Now, it's starting to crumble."

"Yeah…" Clyde, Izzy...Gabby, Zero...Eliza...Vizeron...I lost them all. To think that one being could be so powerful. I'd hate to imagine what would happen if he jumped timelines. I wouldn't be able to stop Metagenesis. Not yet. I still needed to regain my lost abilities. He has destruction magic and his corrupted soul energy is now raw chaos energy. I can't fight against that. It's too dangerous.

Eliza finished up her bandaging and hugged me softly from behind. "Tell me something Tatsu…"

"What is it?" I asked.

"Do I ever fall in love? In your timeline, before I die."

"...I don't know. If you did then you never showed it. You were much more seriously involved with protecting us all. I admired that part of you. You were what made me into who I am…" I told her.

"So is it wrong for me to love my first apprentice when he's all grown up?" She asked me.

I turned my head to her while trying to hide my growing blush. "Eliza…"

She buried her face into my back in order to hide her burning face. She tightened her hold on me. "I just can't help it. The way you talk about me...your attitude, your confidence...It's all too much. You're so strong and yet I still feel like I have to protect you. I'm in love Tatsu. It's so new to me. I've never felt this way before. Once you showed up, everything changed. I love you and part of me can't stand it."

I was taken back by her words. She really just said that?! I mean, we flirt and mess around a lot but to actually love me...It was so strange to me. Did I love her? I forgot what love really felt like. Was this it? Eliza, my mentor...The one in the past is the woman that falls for me.

"R...really?" She nodded against my back.

"Tatsu...Do you plan on going back. To your timeline I mean."

I turned around and faced the navy haired woman and gave her a deep look. "...Yes. I have to. I need to kill him before he finds a way to travel to different times or dimensions. I have to-"

"Stay! Please Tatsu!" She begged. "Just stay here and let that bastard rot in that timeline. You have so much for you here. I promise that I won't ever leave you again. Please Tatsu. I can't stand the thought of you dying. The fact that I left you in the future kills me inside. Please just stay here."

"You know I can't do that. My reason for being here was to prevent the cycle from continuing and to hopefully regain my lost powers so that I can challenge him again." I said to her.

She grabbed my face and stared into my eyes with her fierce yet delicate ones. "Then take me with you. I'll help you so long as you don't just leave me."

"I'm not gonna let you do that Eliza. You need to stay here in the timeline you belong in. I'm the one who shouldn't even be here…"

"No…" She muttered.

"What?" I asked before she kissed me deeply. I was left in a shocked state. I was NOT used to this. It had been so long since I really felt someone kiss me like this. It was by no means a soft kiss either. It was rough and desperate. A plea for me to stay.

She pulled away and pushed me down onto the small sofa. She lifted her shirt off and left me speechless. Her dark red bra was left as the final barrier between me and her breasts. I was nervous and felt unsure. "Tatsu...No...Shiro." She said, using my actual name.

"What are you doing?!" I asked.

"I can't take it anymore. I need you to understand." She placed her hands on my chest and kissed me again. While I was still shaken up, I moved my hands to her hips anyway. I kissed her back. After everything I'd been through...I need some form of release. As odd as it was to kiss my former mentor in the past, I didn't care. She was a beautiful woman that looked out for me. Now she wants me to stay. That must've meant something. It had to have.

I snaked my arms up her back as she moved her head to look at me. "Eliza, I don't want to leave."

"Then don't. Stay here and enjoy your life. You're 28 now. You've spent your whole life struggling and fighting. Just stay." She fondled with my belt strap and unzipped my pants. I made no move to stop her. Maybe she was right. I wasted so many opportunities because I was put into life ending situations countless times. This gorgeous woman on top of me cared enough about me that she was willing to go back to my destroyed world just to stay by my side. I needed someone like her. So many motivations were lost in my life. She brought some of them back. She gave me new hopes and dreams for my own future. The thought of being able to settle down one day and not stress over who'll die next. I wanted that reality.

I leaned up and flipped our positions. "I love you. I want you! I need you!" I said with a serious expression. "I don't wanna die with any more regrets. My mind is made up. I'm going back to kill Metagenesis, and when I do...I'm coming back here. I want to stay with you Eliza."

"Shiro...Y...your hair." She ran her fingers through my messy hair. "...Your eyes…" I didn't know exactly what she was talking about so I looked at my reflection in the coffee glass table. White hair and glowing purple eyes. I hadn't seen myself like this in a long time.

I felt something inside of myself. It was as if something was growing inside of me. "I don't know what's going on with my body, but I really don't care. I really do love you Eliza and I wanna show you."

"Then show me jackass! I'm sick of waiting!" She said before pulling me into her lips.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Oh God... What am I gonna do?! I can't just sleep with a girl I met for like two days!" I said as I paced around the room frantically.

"Will you shut up! I'm tryna sleep!" Viz said from the couch.

"Shut the hell up Vizeron!" I yelled back at him.

"Tch...I was just saying...Geez, I'm tired." He grumbled.

I was in my PJs which was just boxers and a t-shirt. I stopped my pacing when I heard a knock on my door. I sighed and walked over to it. When I opened it, Kyra stood there in silky red nightgown that was somewhat see through. I looked away so that she wouldn't get mad at me again.

"Are you ready Shiro?" She asked me.

"YEP!" I said quickly.

"Oh my~ What's going on you two?" Naomi asked with a sly smile on her face. She had been walking towards her room and saw Kyra at my door.

"None of your business!" Kyra yelled.

"...Uh…" I stood there awkwardly.

"Why so defensive Kyra? You spending the night with our newest member?" Naomi asked.

"My business with Shiro has nothing to do with you. You can return to your OWN room now." Kyra growled.

"Aww, why so mean? Fine. It won't matter anyway. I'll get my time with Shiro eventually." She said to Kyra before turning to me. "Goodnight Shiro."

"Goodnight Naomi." I said before shutting the door. I turned around and saw Kyra looking and at me from the bed. I stared at her ruby colored eyes and her smooth long black hair.

"You just gonna stand there?" She asked. I gulped and walked over to the bed and laid down on it. There was a good foot between us. I tried not to cross any boundaries but God was she making it hard with that damned nightgown. She then laid her head on my chest.

"So…" I started awkwardly. I unconsciously tried to sneak a hand down to her waist.

She slapped it away and glared. "No touching! This is your punishment."

"What?! How am I supposed to let a hot girl lay in bed with me and not touch her at all?! That's just outright torture!"

"Maybe next time, you'll think before climbing into a vent and watching other girls getting changed." She said to me.

"...So I get to watch YOU get changed?"

She brought her lips to my ear and smiled. "Only if your good."

"Holy shit!" If that was all it took then I would've tried harder.

She rested her head back down on my chest. "Your heart is racing Shiro. Are you nervous?"

"W...what? Hell no!" I lied.

She giggled. "Good. I think I like sleeping here. There's only one problem that I have with this."

"What?! Is it my breath?! I brushed!"

"No dummy. It's just really hot in here." She said.

"...You want me to fan you or something?"

"That won't be necessary." She said as she quickly took off the nightgown. I wiped my nose vigorously in order to clean the blood. Her bare chest hung free in my face. I had also just noticed her lack of panties.

"Oh my god!" I shouted as she clung to me.

"Remember what I said. No touching." She winked with a small blush.

"O...oh my god…" I stuttered.

"Goodnight Shiro…"

"Uh...Y...yeah...Goodnight…"

A/N: This is a list of the current levels in the story this far.

Shiro Tatsugami:

(Base)- Level 46

(Hunter)- Level 56 Rouge

(Gilgamesh Grips)- Level 70

(Soul Resonance 1st stage)- Level 62

(Soul Resonance 2nd stage)- Level 79

Clyde Yukio:

(Base)- Level 53

(Flame Charge)- Level 64 Pyromancy

(Phoenix Rebirth)- Level 78 Pyromancy

(PR Full Power)- Level 85

Gabriella Vasquez:

(Base)- Level 49

(Sword Stance)- Level 54 Warrior

(Maiden's Rage)- Level 75 Warrior

Isabel Yang:

(Base)- Level 55

(Oracle)- Level 65 Healer

(Royal Bloodbound)- Level 89 Vampire

Zero:

(Base)- Level 80

(Frost Elemental)- Level 91 Cryomancy

(Koriju Fused; Two Heads)- 96 Cryomancy

(Koriju Fused; Four Heads)- 110 Cryomancy

Eliza:

(Base)- Level 89 Rouge

(Full Power)- ???

Xena:

(Base)- Level 92 Mage

(Full Power)- ???

Amora:

(Base)- ???

(Full Power)- ???

Xeno:

(Base)- Level 780

Xeto:

(Base)- Level 789

Haruka:

(Base)- Level 999,999,999,999,999

Tatsu:

(Base)- 1,823,943,779,021

(Vengeance)- 121,923,004,329,998

(Angelic Sun Style)- 513,676,223,395,107

(Full Power)- ???

Metagenesis:

(Base): Unscaled


	32. Such Revelations

(SHIRO'S POV)

"This is retarded…" I grumbled.

"Don't be like that Shiro. It's FUN!" Gracia yelled.

"Fun? Yeah...I don't think so. I'd say that this is more along the lines of FUCKING LAME!!!"

"Come on Shiro. I thought that you'd be more happy to exercise. I thought that you hated book work." Gracia said with a smile.

Dub placed an arm on my shoulder and grinned. "Bro, you gotta look at the bright side. Chicks in short shorts getting all sweaty and stuff. It's gonna be great!"

"Yeah...but why do we have to spar each other? Isn't this a little...much...you know, for school?" I asked.

"We ARE apart of the battle course. Plus, we get to show off in front of the ladies! All of the higher up classes are watching us. That includes Theta and Kyra. This is our chance to get us some puss-"

"ALRIGHT! EVERYONE TO THE LINE!!!" Our head coach yelled at us. Every one of us lined up and stood straight. "NOW, I'M GONNA SPLIT YOU ALL OFF INTO DIFFERENT SECTIONS!"

The coach gave us our sparring partners and we each stood by them. I had to fight some arrogant asshole that was the son of some rich guy that I didn't care about. Dudes name was Aksis Thyme. He ended up being a real piece of shit. The douche kept bugging me to the point where I was about to break his jaw.

After a crap ton of matches involving a ton of...disappointing battles, I was finally up next. Unfortunately, this match would be about as fun as jerking off with flaming sandpaper, and not because it would hurt, but because it would bring no form of pleasure to you. I knocked the guy out with a simple flick of my index finger. Everyone else stared at me with looks of horror. The members of the Aesma-Daeva group all smirked at the outcome. I was none too pleased with how short lived the match was and promptly stormed out of the ring.

"DUDE! YOU KICKED THAT GUYS ASS!" Dub shouted with a grin.

"...Are you kidding?! That guy freaking sucked! I literally beat him with a finger."

That was when two large, soft, mounds dropped down on top of my head as two arms hugged me from behind. "SHIRO! THAT WAS AMAZING! YOU STRAIGHT UP OWNED THAT GUY!"

My face heated up and I automatically grew flustered. "G...Gracia?! What are you doing?!"

"Sorry! I just couldn't help it! You're just so adorable!"

"I'm what?!" I hadn't been called adorable before so...Yeah…

"Dude, you are so lucky! I wanna hug too, Gracia!" Dub begged.

"Sorry Dub. Only for cuties like Shiro." She squeezed me even tighter.

"Dammit...That's just unfair!" He groaned.

"ALRIGHT! NEXT FIGHTERS, STEP INSIDE!" Coach yelled.

(CLYDE'S POV)

"Do it now!" Xeto barked at me.

"Ward of Frost: Snow Flurry!" A blast of snow flew towards Xeto. He easily blocked it and grinned at me.

"Yes! You got that one down too. You're advancing much quicker than I thought. You should praise yourself for coming this far. It is not easy learning cryomancy, especially after growing adept to pyromancy. You are a true prodigy and your efforts will not go unrewarded."

"Thank you master Xeto!" I happily bowed.

"Go on inside and rest up. We'll resume your training later today." Xeto said.

"Yes sir." I walked insiden of the small fortress of the cryomancer. Once inside, I saw Xena and Amora talking amongst themselves about something. "Hey guys…"

"Clyde? Hello my apprentice." Xena said to me.

"Greetings Clyde. If you are hungry, then Isabel has prepared lunch for you." Amora told me.

I nodded to her. "Right. I'll go see her now."

I walked into the kitchen and saw Isabel stirring a pot. I smiled as the smell hit my nose. The scent of chowder came to me and had my appetite fuelled.

"Hi Clyde." She said softly.

"Hey Isabel."

We stared at each other for a few passing seconds. Her face reddened and she quickly turned her head back to the pot. I sat down at the small table and just watched her.

"I hope your hungry. I made most of this for you to help keep you full of energy."

"Wow...Thanks Isabel. You didn't have to do that though." I told her.

"N...no! I wanted to. You're working so hard to master cryomancy. I want you to be able to do your best!" She said to me.

"Thank you." I smiled at her and started my meal.

As I ate the delicious, creamy soup, Eliza and Tatsu walked into the room. Both looked disheveled and seemed to be somewhat flustered. Tatsu walked inside of the kitchen with just his blue boxers on. His brown hair was a mess. I took note of the dark spots on his neck.

Eliza on the other hand was wearing Tatsu's large shirt and a pair of violet panties. Her lack of a bra was also...pretty evident with the shirt hugging her bare chest.

"...Could you two at least try to make yourselves decent?" I grumbled.

"Relax Clyde. We're not staying that long anyway." Eliza said as she took a sip of some orange juice.

"Where are you two going?" Isabel asked.

"To the Lily Pad." Tatsu answered with a grin.

I raised a brow. "Isn't that in the Elven forest? That's on the other side of the world."

"I can teleport, Clyde. I thought you'd catch on by now." Tatsu huffed.

"What's the Lily Pad?" Isabel asked.

"It's a club in Arinia that has alcohol and weird magical drugs…"

"Oh…" Isabel mumbled. "That sounds pretty bad."

"It's the good kind of drugs. You know, the ones that give you super endurance." Tatsu grinned.

"...And I wonder why you would need that…" I rolled my eyes.

"Wow...This Clyde is WAY more critical than the the one from my timeline."

"Tch…" I huffed and continued eating.

"Man, we gotta get outta here! The place is 25% off before six." Tatsu said.

"Damn! What the hell are we waiting for?!" Eliza yelled.

I glared at the both of them. "So goddamn annoying…"

(SHIRO'S POV)

"I don't get it...What the hell is with you guys?!" I asked with annoyance.

"What's the matter Shiro?" Kyra asked with a sceptical look.

"I thought that I'd be able to fight someone that was ACTUALLY challenging. I didn't expect to one hit ko some dude with a flick." I grumbled.

"Oh don't be such a baby Shiro. There'll be plenty of opportunities for you to test your skills." Kyra said.

"YEAH! Like when we go out on super cool demon jobs!" Gracia yelled.

"Jobs?! What jobs?"

"Oh, just tasks like soul collecting, demon hunts, and some busy work sprinkled in." Kyra told me.

"So...Demons hunt other demons?"

"Sort of...You see, we hunt down any demons that go wild and wreak havoc. These demons tend to be much stronger than regulars and are often handled by the higher ranks." Naomi explained. She leaned on my shoulder and brought her lips to my ear. "I bet you can take them, no problem."

"I...I dunno…Maybe..." I muttered.

Naomi giggled. "Your face is so red Shiro. Are you blushing for me?"

"Naomi, that's quite enough!" Kyra growled.

"I was just trying to encourage our newest member."

"That's the last thing that his perverted ass needs." Helena grumbled.

"Wow…" I huffed.

Kyra stood up and grasped my hands. "Come Shiro. I want to show you something very important."

"Really? What is it?" I asked.

"Aww! I wanted alone time with Shiro!" Naomi pouted.

"He's MY bodyguard so I get the final say!" Kyra said back.

"Fine! I'll talk to you soon Shiro." Naomi winked.

"Yo Kyra!" Vauz yelled as he stepped out of the kitchen.

"What is it?" She replied.

"Two things...One, Gideon's on his way to the castle. Two, we're out of potatoes…"

"Three, we're low on our soul counts. We need to up our contract amounts or we won't make this weeks quota." Naomi chimed in.

"Four, I need to do our weekly health evaluation." Nyne said.

"Hold up...pause...rewind...Who the hell is Gideon?" I asked.

"Ugh! Why does he have to come today?!" Kyra growled.

"Well he probably wants to seal the deal this time." Naomi sighed as she patted her shoulder.

"WHO THE HELL IS GIDEON?!" I yelled.

Helena jabbed me in my side. I glared at her but she simply folded her arms.

"It's okay...You can tell him." Kyra said in a sad tone.

Gracia walked over to me and huffed. "Gideon is one of the Kings of Hell. His family is the most powerful in Hell and is also most wealthy too."

"Pfft...So he's some rich douche. Big deal." I shrugged.

"Yeah! A rich douche that'll erase you from existence! He knows how to wield hellfire and owns the Lava Serpent, Thiosulfaet." Vauz said.

"Yeah...so what? I have a Vizeron!"

"DAMN RIGHT!" Viz barked as he hopped up on my shoulder.

"Plus, what can that guy even do to me? I have a legendary magical growing sword, gauntlets that let me punch mountains to pieces, soul energy, stealth skills, Trickster Technique, Fanny Pack Style, THE Hanzuname Dragon Blade... which is only the most badass sword ever made! I can use Elemental Dracomancy, and I have the Vengeance suit. Does that bitch Gideon have any of that?"

"...Well he does have Kyra." Helena grumbled.

Kyra's eyes widened. "HELENA!"

"WHAT?!" I yelled automatically.

"Yeah...Gideon is technically engaged to Lady Kyra." Gracia sighed.

"SOMEBODY EXPLAIN!!!" I shouted.

"Why do you even care so much? It's not like you know either of them that well." Helena said coldly.

"I...I'm her bodyguard so...I have every right to be concerned!"

"Aww! That's so cute!" Gracia hugged me to the point of near death.

Kyra sighed again. "Shiro...Listen to me well. This is how it is to be a noble in Hell. From the day I was born, I was destined to do whatever it took to keep hell as strong as possible. The Aesma-Daeva branch was the most powerful when my father was still around. Now that he's gone, he trusted me to keep things in check. That means keeping certain allies close. The Espada family is an ally that we need. Gideon is the head of that family, so it'd only make sense if we combined both. The way to do so is through marriage…"

"That's not right! You should marry somebody that you actually like! Who that hell does that type of stuff anymore?!"

"It's just the way it is Shiro. Our children will take over the underworld with both of our respective abilities."

"NO! You...You can't!"

Gracia patted my shoulder and shook her head. "Just let it go Shiro."

"...Fine...When do we even get to meet Gideon?" I asked.

"How's about now?" Said a fancy voice.

In the center of the living room, a swirl of hellfire appeared. When the fire disappeared, a pale man with deep red hair appeared. His white suit shined with wealth. His thin rimmed glasses showed his sly, onyx colored eyes. Behind him was a group of people. The majority of them were extremely beautiful women. I couldn't stop admiring them all.

"What the fuck?" I muttered.

"...Here we go…" Helena murmured.

"The Aesma-daeva crew! It's so lovely to see you all again. Naomi, you're looking as beautiful as ever."

Naomi lightly rolled her eyes. "Thank you Lord Gideon."

Gideon smirked. "Ah...Kyra my sweet. Your elegance knows no bounds. Your heavenly body has matured since my last visit." He caressed her cheek before tilting her chin up. "So my sweet...What's new?"

My blood boiled. I pushed past Gracia and stepped forward. "I'm what's new!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!!! And who are you supposed to be?!" Gideon chuckled.

"Shiro Tatsugami! Kyra's new bodyguard! That means that if you don't have her permission-"

~SMACK~

"Then you need to take your filthy hands off of her!" I growled.

The room went silent after I slapped his hand off of Kyra's face. Both his group and my group stared at me with complete shock. I didn't care. Nobody was gonna touch her like she was some sort of prized possession.

"...You…" Gideon started. "You dare lay a hand on me…"

"Gideon wait! He didn't mean it!" Kyra said to him with desperation.

Gideon moved her aside and stomped in my face. "YOU DARE LAY A HAND ON ME?!"

"Would you rather a fist?" I threatened with my fist balled up.

"You...you have no idea who I am, do you?" He chuckled.

"I know that you're an arrogant dick."

"Hear my words...Shiro was it?" He spoke.

A split second later, I was smacked with a flaming hand and sent flying. I dropped down and smashed into the coffee table, splintering it completely.

"SHIRO!" Kyra shouted with worry.

"Ngh...T...that...all you got?" I spit the loose tooth outta my mouth and stood up and glared at him.

"Heh...Is that honestly your idea of a taunt? Here I'll do you one better." He turned around and clutched the back of Kyra's head before smashing his lips against hers. Forcing his dirty tongue in her mouth pissed me off. "She's gonna be all mine so you're practically my slave too. Make yourself useful and fetch me a drink since you can stand."

"Shiro are you okay?" Viz asked me.

Everything was purple. The static danced around me as I hissed angrily. "I got something for you…" I jumped up and cocked my arm back. "YOU BASTARD!!!"

"Hanu, Shika...Dispose of this trash…" Gideon snapped his fingers.

A blonde and a brown haired girl lunged at me with glowing fists. They smacked me down to the floor. I skidded back until I hit the wall behind me. They hovered over me and snickered.

"You'd best learn your place, boy!" The blonde said.

"Lord Gideon's not one to be trifled with." The brunette spat down on me.

"Shiro please...Just stop…" Kyra asked me. The tears in her eyes made me feel like shit.

"Listen to your master boy." Gideon stomped on my head and grinned. "You'll live longer."

"I'm not afraid of death…" I grumbled.

"Hmm...Good for you." He said before walking over to Kyra and kissing her again. "As for what I really came here for...The Kings have agreed on the date for our wedding. Four weeks time. Our wedding will be a grand one!"

"Yes…" Kyra muttered.

Seeing her wet face made me feel hatred for Gideon even more. "You don't have to...marry that...douchebag!"

"When will you be silent?" Gideon glared at me.

He started walked towards me but Kyra grabbed his hand. "Gideon, I will handle him. Just go now. He is already damaged enough." She pleaded.

"...Very well. Only for you my sweet." He said to her. He started walking back towards his entourage. "It was nice to see you again Aesma-daevas. I do hope that our next meeting will be more of a...pleasant experience."

"Fuck off…" I hissed.

"Till we meet again…" They all vanished in a swirl of hellfire and left us feeling a mixture of emotions.

"I don't like that guy…"

"Shiro...Would you mind going with Vauz and Helena to pick up some potatoes?" Kyra asked me with a distant voice.

"...Kyra…I'm sorry..." I sighed as Naomi and Gracia picked me up.

"Don't...It's okay...Just go now Shiro...We'll talk later…" She said to me.

(ZERO'S POV)

"Gabby, I need to ask you something…" I said to her.

"What is it?" She rested her head on my shoulder, which caused me to blush a bit.

"I...I want to know...more about Shiro and Clyde."

She lifted her head and stared at me with shock."W...why? What brought this up?!"

"Well for starters...I killed Shiro...I shouldn't have done that but...I wasn't thinking properly. I was foolish to let my temper get the best of me and for that, I'm sorry."

"Zero…" She rubbed my cheek with her soft hands. "I forgive you for that. I can't speak for everyone, but I personally don't resent you in the slightest."

I let her words sink in and nodded. "...Then there's Clyde. He's been training extremely hard in order to reach his goal. His pyromancy is top tier and he can now wield cryomancy. He's growing more and more. With Xeto's help, it won't be long before he surpasses my level. I just...I want to know as much as I can so that I too can improve."

"Hmm...Well it's hard to explain them both. In terms of Shiro, he's a prince that got his home destroyed by a mysterious figure. He's not very good with magic, he's brash, and temperamental. He also carries the burden of the entire future's destruction. In all honesty, I don't envy him not one bit. It must be hard living like that. Even though he's an idiot, he's still a good guy deep down when it counts. He's just got his own issues to deal with."

I looked down. Her words made me feel even more guilty for killing him. "I see…"

"As for Clyde...I suppose he's like the prodigy of the group. He's smart, gifted and is very serious. Some of what he does really baffles me. He mastered high level pyromancy in under a month and knows multiple intermediate spells. His dreams are clear and he's willing do whatever it takes to make them a reality. He pushes himself just as much, if not more, than Shiro. He's amazing." She said.

"Yes, I thought so…"

"What I'm getting at is that no matter how far one of them goes, the other always seems to catch up. Their rivalry is the cause of that. Besides, just because Shiro is dead, doesn't mean that he's not gonna get stronger. Tatsu said it himself that Hell is where he really started to grow. If Shiro follows that path, than he'll be just as strong as his future self."

"Than that mean that I can't afford to slack off. I will get stronger too. I have to keep my status. Both of them nearly beat me in our fight. I have to widen the gap."

She laid her head back down on my shoulder as Koriju continued flying us to our destination.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"You need to lighten up Shiro...None of us like the guy either." Helena sighed.

"Lighten up?! You saw how upset she was with that rich asshole. Touching her like that...I should've killed him!" I growled as I attempted to unsheath the Hanzuname Dragon Blade.

"You didn't exactly help with your outburst." Vauz grumbled as he dropped one of the bags of groceries and unlocked the castle door.

"What was I supposed to do?! Sit there and be a fucking pussy?!"

"You're a hopeless dimwit." Helena grumbled.

"You wanna say that again?" I hissed.

"Dimwit dimwit DIMWIT!"

"Whatever you flat chested bitch!" I snapped.

"YOU PERVERTED DICKHEAD!!!" She retorted.

"Fucking tomboy!"

"Shrimp dick!"

"Camel toe!"

"VIRGIN!"

"YOU ARE TOO YOU FUCKING DYKE!" I yelled at her.

"ENOUGH!" Vauz yelled. "Now is not the time. Helena, please help me with the groceries. Shiro, go see Nyne. This is your first check up so don't give her a hard time."

"...Fine, I'm going…" I stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked over to Nyne's room. I knocked on the door and waited for a response. "Hello...Nyne!"

"Yes Shiro? What is it?" She said as she opened the door. Her short blue hair was tied in a small, low hanging ponytail. She was currently wearing her glasses and a loose sweater.

"Uh...I'm supposed to be getting a checkup or something...I dunno." I shrugged.

"Ah yes! That!" She was suddenly grinning. "Come inside and we'll begin your...Examination…"

I was starting to feel uneasy but complied with her wishes. "So what now."

"I need your clothes off. Now!"

"Like...All of them?!"

She huffed. "Yes Shiro…"

I took off my jacket and my shirts, then followed by my boots and my pants. I stared at the black boxers that were still on my body.

"...Even these?" I said with embarrassment.

"Even those…" She nodded.

I did as I was told, much to my discomfort. "Goddamn…" I sighed.

"Hmm...Not bad…" She said with a slight nod.

My face turned red as I covered my junk. "Quit looking at me!"

"You should be proud. Most men don't reach seven. You're slightly above average." She said in a plain voice.

"Sh...shut the hell up! You can't just say shit like that!"

"Relax. I've seen everyone naked before. Vauz is rocking a solid eight and a half inches." She said.

"WHAT?! I don't wanna hear that!" I yelled at her.

She shrugged and walked over to me. She looked me up and down and ran her hands all over my torso. "Hmm...Your physical condition is exceptional. I do have a few test that I want to go through with."

"...And these tests are?"

"Simple really. First, I need you to lay down on that bed over there."

"Can I put my clothes back on?"

"NO!" She shouted quickly.

"...Ok…" I did as I was told and laid on the bed. That's when I was quickly chained me to said bed. "What the hell?!"

"Shush! Let it happen!" She smiled widely as she ran her fingers along my body. "You're a fine specimen indeed. Tell me something Shiro...What are these tattoos on your body?"

"I don't know! They appeared when I was in the magic tournament. They glow when I'm using my soul energy to the max."

"Oh...I see...You mind showing me?" She asked.

"I mean...It's kinda weird. I can't really go all out unless I'm in danger…" I muttered.

"Hmm...Danger you say?" Nyne walked over to her closet and pulled out a large box. "I think I can do that." She opened and pulled out a long needle. "I wanna see your real self. In this vial is holy water. Does nothing to humans and angels...but to demons…"

She let a tiny drop fall on my chest. "WHAT THE FUCK?! OW!!!" I yelled.

She sucked the fluid into the vial and smiled with red on her cheeks. "Kyra said that you were strong. I want to believe her...In order to do that, I'll just have to see for myself." She climbed on top of me and straddled my bare hips. Couldn't tell if this was sexy or terrifying. "You are quite attractive Shiro. Maybe...just maybe…"

"NYNE DON'T! YOU CAN'T BE FUCKING SERIOUS WITH THIS SHIT!!!" I screamed.

"Just let your power loose and you'll be fine Shiro." She licked her lips and moved the needle closer to my neck.

"HELP!!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!" I screamed.

"Almost there…"

"No...Nyne don't! Get away from me! GET AWAY!!!" I shouted before blasting her off of me with my purple aura. I grabbed the chains with my bare hands and ripped them apart. The tattoos glowed wildly and I could feel my body tense up. I stomped over to her and grabbed the needle. I shattered it and glared at her. "Don't do this again!"

"Oooooh! Your hair! Your muscles! You're like a different person!" She cheered.

I sighed and dropped my power. "You're insane…"

She got up and grabbed my shoulders. "Finally! A being worth studying. I must figure out how you work! Such ferocity...It's so alluring. Yes...You'd be the perfect donor."

"Whoa! What do you mean donor?" I asked.

"Your sperm. You'd be able to fertilize Kyra's kids and create the ultimate being. We could get experimenting! Oh the combinations! You and Naomi, you and Helena, you and Gracia, you and Olivia, you me! The offspring would have endless possibilities with your enhanced genes."

"Are you nuts?! What the hell is wrong with you?!" I yelled with heat rising to my face.

"What? I'm only being logical." Nyne shrugged. "Only time will tell."

I forcefully grabbed my clothes and put them on. "Let's just let things happen naturally."

"Hmm, natural selection? That's even more excitinging. Who will conceive your child first? Oh! I can't wait!" Nyne clapped her hands together and sighed happily. "To feel the emotion of love! So fascinating."

"...I'm leaving now...Freak…"

"See ya later Shiro!" She said happily.

(TATSU'S POV)

"GODDAMN! THIS IS THAT GOODSHIT!" I shouted in my drunken state.

Eliza jumped on my lap and wrapped her arms around me. "WOOOOOH!!! KISS ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She gave my the wettest, sloppiest kiss possible. Her moans made my drunken body even more intoxicated. When she pulled away, she turned back to the bartender and giggled. "Two more rounds of your finest Sunshine Birch Ale!"

"Sorry little lady...No more drinks for you two. I don't think ya livers can handle any more abuse." The husky elf lady said.

"Excuse me?! Give me and my man anotha round!" Eliza slurred.

"Uh...c'mon babe. We should prolly-"

"NO! We'll leave, afta we get our drinks!" Eliza said to me.

"Security!" The lady yelled.

"Screw ya security!" Eliza hopped off of my lap and pulled out her two sharp daggers. "C'mon ya bitches!"

"Well...Here we go again…" I muttered and she stabbed one man in his neck and tossed her other dagger into the other guys skull.

In the background, chairs were being thrown and people started attacking each other. I guess the Elven guards got called because twenty more guys in heavy armor showed up. Their spears were pointed at me and Eliza with the intent to kill.

"YES! KEEP EM' COMIN BOYS!" Eliza yelled.

"Seize her!" One of them yelled.

"For fucks sake!" I got up and punched a guys head clean off. "HOLY SHIT! My bad dude…"

"Change of plans...KILL THEM!"

Eliza and I stood back to back, watching each other's rear. I brought out my Khans Kamas and smirked a drunken smirk.

"Ready babe!" I asked her.

"Damn right I am!"

(SHIRO'S POV)

I laid down in my bed thinking about that douchebag Gideon. I hated seeing Kyra so upset but what could I really do?! She wasn't even at dinner with us. It made me feel like shit.

~KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK~

I looked at the door and raised a brow. "Uh...Come in…"

The door opened slowly. Kyra had walked in with that same nightgown. My heart fluttered.

"...Kyra?"

"..." She didn't say anything to me. She simply climbed onto my bed and laid next to me.

"Are you alright?"

"...Just hold me...Please…" She whispered.

"Uh...ok…" I did as she asked with no complaints. I wrapped my arms around her and fought off the blush creeping on my face.

"I'm so confused Shiro…"

"You and me both."


	33. With Much Disdain

-In The Future-

"Y...you...heartless...monster…"

"Tell me where it is." Said a white haired man.

"I'd...never...betray...ASGARD!" The wounded man jumped up and attempted to swing his hammer at the smirking white hair man.

"Tsk tsk tsk." The white haired man caught the hammer with ease and kneeled down to the wounded warrior's level. "C'mon Thor...God of Thunder...Big tough asgardian guy! Just show me where your papa's left eye is and I'll leave this place without anymore casualties."

"You already...killed most of my people! Why should I trust you?!" I hissed.

"Because unlike you, I'm a god that can do whatever he wants to. I have necromancy Thor. I can bring them all back. All you gotta do is help me out."

Thor looked down. "Do you swear your word? Will you...truly fulfill your promise?"

"Sure thing pal."

"...I...I suppose-"

"NO THOR! DON'T LISTEN TO THAT SPINELESS LEECH! HE WISHES TO DECEIVE YOU!" Yelled an old man.

"Father!" Thor yelled.

"Tch...Fucking Odin…"

"I've been watching you for quite some time now Tatsugami. You've been quite the pest in EarthRealm and the NetherRealm."

"Don't call me that old man!"

"I'm sorry. Would you prefer Metagenesis, or better yet, soulless bastard?" Odin growled.

"I'm gonna enjoy tearing you to shreds." Metagenesis snarled.

Odin pulled out a large axe. "In the name of all the Asgardians that you mercilessly killed. I, ODIN, KING OF THE NORSE GODS, WILL CUT YOU-"

Odin was silenced when a hand passed through his chest. "You...talk too much…"

"FATHER!" Thor shouted.

Metagenesis lifted the old god up and held him over the edge of the tall summit of Jotunheim. His deadly smirk returning.

"Y...you truly are...the plague of this world...You're the...full personification of evil." Odin choked out.

"Why thank you my good sir. Have fun in limbo you old piece of shit." Metagenesis dropped Odin off of the mountain and turned back to Thor. "Well...Back to you." He said as he stomped on Thor's hammer, crushing it completely. He grabbed him by the neck and glared. "Tell me!"

"You...will rot...for all that you've done." The thunder god muttered.

"I will never die. Not in this lifetime or the next…"

"Everyone dies...Even you!" Thor smiled.

"Ward of Flames: Melting Point!" Metagenesis heated up the palm of his hand and seared the god's throat. He dropped Thor's corpse to the floor and stared at it with an enraged expression. He flicked his finger, creating a large shockwave that destroyed a mountain in the distance. "I will find you...And when I do...I'll be unstoppable!"

-Present-

(SHIRO'S POV)

"HYAH!" I slice a large demon in two with Black Inertia.

"Watch your back!" Vauz yelled as he kicked another charger's head clean off.

"Whoa! Thanks man." I said to him.

"Thank me by staying alive!" He spun and kicked another's head off.

I cut another one into pieces and flipped back as four tried to gang up on me. Helena ran at all four and knocked them all back with just one of her powered up punches.

"Pull your balls outta your purse and fight back, wuss!" She said to me.

I growled to myself and placed my sword in a portal. I grabbed my Gilgamesh Grips and put them on. I dashed forward and hit about fifty guys, each with three hundred well placed punches. I dropped all of them in literally five seconds.

"How was that, she bitch? Pretty manly, right?" I said with my arms folded and a smug look on my face. That was until a large fist knocked me to the floor.

Helena scoffed. "Oh yeah. Nothing screams manliness like laying flat on your ass."

"Shut the hell up…" I stood up and stared down the large, red demon. "What's up with this prick?"

Kyra and Naomi landed down next to me with their black, demon wings still out. Naomi smiled at me and Kyra faced the large beast.

"Inkis Jong. He was a high level demon that's been corrupted by greed. His desperation for power is what led to him gaining that enlarged form."

Gracia crashed down and grinned at me. "He's like SUPER tough now."

"Doesn't really matter how tough he is. The bastard's on our turf now so he's our problem to deal with." Vauz grumbled.

"He's right. We need to deal with this quickly and safely." Kyra told us.

"He doesn't look so tough." I spoke.

Helena laughed. "This coming from the guy who got hit first."

I rolled my eyes and ran forward. Inkis swung his fist at me. I lifted up my right arm and blocked the attack with little to no effort. I jumped up and run along his arm. He tried to grab me but I smacked his hand away. When I got to his face, I slammed my fist in between his eyes, knocking him down.

"C'mon big guy! Get up!"

Inkis stood and stared me down. I flipped him off and grinned. He charged at me and tackled me into a large boulder.

"SHIRO!" Everyone yelled.

I crawled to my feet and hissed at the pain in my limbs. "Alright...Time for the big shits!" I grabbed the Hanzuname Dragon blade and once again tried to unsheath the damn thing. "What the fucking hell?!" I yelled with frustration.

Inkis wasted no time punt kicking me into the same rocks. I moved myself out of the rubble and glared at my "Legendary" sword.

"Shiro! Are you alright?" Everyone asked me. Even Helena seemed somewhat concerned.

"I'm fine I guess...A little pissed off. A tad bit...HOLY FUCK!" I stared at the awkward angle in which my leg was bent with panic.

"Oh goddamn!" Vauz yelled.

"Olivia, please heal him!" Kyra said as she looked away.

The short girl kneeled down and placed her small hands on my leg. Her eyes flashed blue and her hands glowed brightly. I cringed when my broken bone melded itself back together.

"It is done." She said.

"...Damn that's helpful. You and Izzy would be great buds." I chuckled.

'Who's Izzy?" Kyra asked.

"Huh? Oh she was a friend of mine back when I wasn't dead."

"Not to interrupt or anything, but Inkis has been charging up another attack." Helena huffed.

"Right, we'll take backstories later. Naomi, back me up from the air. Vauz, Helena, run separate flanks. Gracia, you're running distraction." Kyra ordered. I was amazed by how easy she took charge.

"RIGHT!" They all said.

"Hey...What do you want me to do?" I asked her.

"Can you still fight?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I told her.

"Than do your job as bodyguard and keep me protected while I finish this." She said.

"Yes Lady Kyra!" I bowed to her with a playful grin. She blushed and looked away.

Vauz and Helena sprinted around the large demon whiled Gracia blasted him with large gusts of wind from her hands in order to draw its attention. Naomi sprouted her wings and lifted off into the skies. She held out a hand and blasted a black and red ray of demonic energy. This forced him to put his guard up leaving him vulnerable to the double attack from Vauz and Helena.

"That's our cue." Kyra said as she took off towards Inkis.

I bolted past her with my Gilgamesh Grips and blocked a few of his wild attacks. A large burst of wind collided with his face, causing him to stagger.

"Go princess!" I yelled as I clutched her forearm and swung her towards the larga demon. A bright red orb charged up in her hand. She slammed the orb into Inkis. She dropped down next to me and we watched as he disintegrated into nothing.

"Geez...What did you just do to him?" I asked.

"He was a tainted soul beyond redemption. I erased him from Hell and banished his being to Limbo for the rest of eternity." She said as if it were nothing.

"...What?!"

"That means don't be a useless idiot or she might just get rid of you." Helena said.

"You're still talkin'?!" I said with a harsh glare.

"That's what my mouth is for dipshit!"

"I bet it's also for suckin-"

"ENOUGH! Both of you!" Kyra shouted.

"Psh...She started it. LIKE USUAL!" I yelled in Helena's face. She spun and buried her fist into my face damn near knocking me out. A tear fell out my eye as I held my bleeding nose.

"Why is he even here?! None of this even makes sense!" The short blonde snapped at Kyra.

Everyone grew silent, including me. "Helena, I'd advise you to lower your tone." Kyra warned.

"Answer my question! Why did you even choose him?! He's a weak and useless sleazebag!"

"WHO THE HELL YOU CALLING A FUCKING SLEAZEBAG?!" I barked.

"You! You're just a pervert living out his best wet dream! You barely even help! Kyra doesn't even need a bodyguard! Especially not one as pathetic as you!"

"Whoa, Helena chill out." Gracia muttered.

"What does he even do?! We don't need him! Who honestly wants him around? Naomi can't even stand guys like him. Kyra doesn't need you, Olivia is always uncomfortable with him around, Gracia lost her home because of his douchebag kingdown, Dio isn't even willing to talk to him all that much! For shit sake, Vauz is gay and he doesn't even like him! Why is he here?!"

The silence was even more tense. Tense and very much hostile. No one even bothered looking at me.

"Helena...I won't tell you again! CUT IT OUT!"

I glared at the shorter girl and got in her face with complete anger. "You know what? Fuck it then. You want me gone so bad, then I'll fucking leave! If I'm such a goddamn problem for everyone, I'll fucking go!"

"Shiro, it's not like that." Kyra said softly.

"Bullshit it's not!" I yelled at her. "I didn't ask to fucking die! Why did you even call to me?! Why the hell were you in my dream?! WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE?!"

"Shiro please...Calm down." Vauz said to me as he placed a hand on my shoulder. I quickly smacked it away and glared at him.

"NO! FUCK THAT! If little miss bitch wants me out the picture then I'll fulfill her bullshit wish!" I turned and stomped off, shoulder checking Helena in the process. I closed my eyes and quickly teleported away.

(TATSU'S POV)

I struggled to catch my breath as Eliza and I ran away from the Elven forces. I turned back to see if we had lost them yet. Much to my relief, we had gained a good amount of distance.

"I think we lost em' Tatsu." Eliza said.

"Oh thank god. All that booze, plus this goddamn running...I might just...Oh shit!" I threw up everything on the floor below.

"We should probably get home now." She said.

"Yeah...Good idea…" I nodded. "You wanna teleport?"

"Yeah, I guess that's fine. You mind stopping somewhere for me though?" She asked.

"Sure. Where to?" I asked back.

"You know where the Sunken Hollow is?"

"Isn't that where some of the most dangerous scumbags live? You know, the criminals that attack anybody that comes on there territory."

Eliza smirked. "You're not scared, are you?"

"Did you forget who I am? Trust me, after seeing Metagenesis face to face, nothing in this world scares me."

"Then let's get a move on!"

"Why do you wanna go so badly?!" I asked her.

"It's a special place to me. It's been a few years since I've been there so I kinda feel like going back."

"Right...Well then grab my hand." She clutched my left hand softly. I warped us to a large, dark forest that had multiple treehouses. It was like a small city with ziplines and rope bridges.

Eliza gasped as she looked around the place. "It's even better than I remember! Have you ever been here before?"

"Nope. I've only heard about it from the you in my timeline."

"I just HAVE to show you around. Come on!" She grabbed my hand and tugged my through the dark, city of the trees. Many people looked at us as if we were insane. I was feeling uneasy and Eliza was smiling.

We walked all over the place, seeing the many include some of the shops which sold weapons and clothing. A few bars and canteens were also along the way. Our final stop was a tree house. It was the biggest one in town and was surrounded by multiple cloaked figures.

When we got near the door, they all aimed there daggers at us. "State your business here, less you wanna die!"

I got into a fighting stance and glared. Eliza simply walked forward and rolled up one of her leather sleeves. She showed them a tattoo and they all instantly dropped their weapons and backed off. They all stepped aside and allowed Eliza to open the wooden door. She looked back at me with a smile.

"C'mon! I want you to meet someone." She said to me.

We stepped inside and saw three people. One was a large man with a huge beard. He was looking at a set of axes. Another was a pretty looking woman with long navy blue hair. She was holding the final member in her arms. A small baby with short black hair.

"Bastian we're out of supplies. We need to raid the Altarian's camp! We don't have any other choice." The woman said.

"I know Frida! I've already sent out our scouts to go and survey their defenses." The large man said.

"They've been gone for weeks. The Altarians are a formidable group. They may have captured the scouts by now. We need to attack."

The man grunted. "That could lead to more casualties! We can't afford to lose more people!"

"What other choice do we have left?" The woman said.

"WE CAN HELP!" Eliza suddenly yelled, startling the two talking.

"Wait what?" I muttered.

"Oh my god…" Frida muttered quietly.

"Eliza! What are you doing here? And who is that outsider that you've brought into our camp?!" Bastian asked.

"Hello to you too, Bastian. You as well mother. As for what I'm doing here, I've come to visit my old home. I missed this place so much that I just had too."

"Right...What about him. He better not be another one of your one night stands!" Bastian glared at me and I glared back.

"I'm sorry, what?!" I hissed aggressively.

"This is Tatsu. He's not just some guy either. He's my boyfriend. Like legitimately this time. He can help you with the raid. I promise."

"What are you doing?!" I whispered angrily at her.

"It'll be okay. Just trust me." Eliza whispered back.

"How can you be so sure? The Altarians are fierce barbarians with the strength that rivals the giants. Our speed and stealth can only do so much against them. What skills does this Tatsu possess to aid us in this raid?" Frida asked.

"Go ahead and tell them." Eliza nudged my side. I rolled my eyes and stepped forward. "I'm a being with powers given to me by the death god. I possess several legendary weapons and tools, and have mastered many different styles. I have strength that is fifty times what Hercules can even hope to muster. I'm faster than the speed of light and can control time."

They both stared at me with shock. "Where did you find this man?"

"He was lying in a crater outside of my house." Eliza shrugged.

"It's the truth…"

"Hmph...Very well then. If you can lead the raid, then you'll gain my blessing. I am expecting big things from you. My daughter isn't one to choose a partner so you must be extraordinary to have caught her eye."

I looked at the woman, then back at her daughter. "...Good to know."

"We will begin the raid tonight! In the meantime, you're welcome to enjoy the city of thieves."

"Thank you both!" I nodded.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"RAAAAAAAAHHH!' I shouted as a burst of purple flames spewed from my mouth. I continued burning down the hellwood trees with my singular dracomancer ability.

"HEY KID!" Yelled a grumpy old man.

"Who are you?!"

"I'm the guy who's wondering why his forest is getting burned to the ground by some shithead kid." The man grumbled.

I looked around at the growing flames and scratched the back of my head. "Whoops! Sorry about that dude…"

His maroon cloak was hiding the upper part of his face. All I could see was his lips curl downward. "Well don't just stand there all gobsmacked! Put the damn fire out!"

"I uh...ok." I put on my grips and rubbed my hands together. I took a deep breath and clapped them both together and creating a thunderous boom and blew the fires out instantly. "There! That should do it."

"What the hell are you even doing out here besides fucking up my home." The old man asked.

"Oh, I was just practicing my elemental dracomancy." I said with a shrug.

"You mean the shit that dragons give to people?"

"Yeah. I got it a while ago. Never really practiced it though. All I can do is use the dragon breath…" I chuckled.

"Hmm...I see. Well, I don't know what dragon gave you his essence, but you won't really grow unless you learn from it personally. Otherwise you're just stuck with a shit power."

I glared with silent rage. "THAT BITCH! HE FUCKING DUPED ME!"

"Sounds like you got ripped off, kid."

"Yeah! I spared that bastard ass dragon for some lame ass power that I need him to train me with!"

"Why didn't you go to Drukus Yul?" He asked.

"What the hell is Drukus Yul?!"

"The realm of the dragons. It's where draconian folk can live in peace from those that would hunt them down."

"Oh...So how do I get there?" I asked.

"Well...I don't think I can help you with that kid."

"What?! Why the hell not?"

He sighed. "I don't know where the fucking place is! I ain't no draconian! You wanna find the place, then find another dracomancer. I'm only telling you what I know."

"...Wow. Well, do you know any dracomancers?" I asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do. There's Marco Ulrich. Gladiator and champion of Hades. Dominique Gliss, the angelic server of St. Joseph. Finally, there's Sandra Neptune, the granddaughter of Poseidon. All possess good status with dragons and can wield elemental dracomancy."

"So where do I find them?" I asked.

"Well...You don't. Marco is the closest, but not just any old demon can go into Hades' domain. That, and Marco isn't exactly friendly either. He's a vicious, cold blooded killer far beyond compassion. He's the best at what he does and what he does is kill." The old man sighed.

"...Damn. Ok what about the other two?"

"Dominique is all the way in the Aether Realm. As you should know, any demon that enters that realm, let alone the kingdom of Heaven, will perish instantly and be sent straight to Limbo. As for Saundra, she is tightly guarded and protected. She's the most likely to aid you but is also extremely difficult to meet in person, especially all the way from the deep pits of hell."

"Right...Well, I still have to try! Fanny Pack style!" I said before putting away my grips.

"Neat ability kid." He said to me.

"Thanks. I learned it...myself." I technically wasn't lying.

"I bet you keep a ton of stuff in that portal of yours."

"Meh, only my gear. Like my legendary swords and stuff."

"Legendary? How legendary?" He asked.

"Well there's Black Inertia, which can grow whenever I say the magical and...somewhat redundant word...INERTIA! Then there's this piece of shit." I reached into the portal and grabbed the Hanzuname Dragon blade.

The old man fell back as I lifted the weapon. "Where did you get that?!"

"Haruka Blade gave it to me. I can't unsheath it though…"

"You met...I can't believe it. How was he? Is he still alive? Is he still protecting Wudai? Did he start drinking again?!"

"Damn! Chill out old man! How do you even know Haruka?" I asked.

"I'm...His father. Thaddeus Oshinobi. I haven't seen my son in over five thousand years. Seeing that specific weapon...It's overwhelming." The old man said.

"I see. Well, can you help me unsheath it?" I asked.

"It's not a weapon that just anyone can wield. You must bond with the sword and let its power flow within you. Only the most powerful ninja were able to use it. If my son gave it to you then it's because he saw something inside of you. The blade will unsheath itself to you when you truly need it...Or something like that, I dunno…"

I sighed. "Well that was...useless…"

"SHIRO!" Yelled a familiar voice.

"Oh shit...Well, It looks like I got company. Why did they even follow me?" I huffed.

"I can see that you've got your hands tied right now young man so I'll take my leave. If you ever want to talk to an old man and learn a thing or two, just come back here. Any friend of Haruka is a friend of mine." He said.

I nodded to him. "Thank you Mr. Thaddeus."

He vanished in a cloud of red smoke, leaving me alone in the partially burnt forest. I looked up at the blood red sky and sighed.

Within a few short minutes, Kyra and the rest of the gang including Vizeron ran over to me. Kyra threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

"Shiro please don't leave! Helena didn't mean it. We all want you here in our group." The black haired girl said to me.

I looked at Helena. She didn't seem too pleased with me at all. I sighed and looked at the others. Gracia had a distant looked, Naomi gave me a sad smile, Vauz had his arms crossed and Olivia avoided eye contact with me.

"You're apart of our team. You're precious to us." Naomi said softly to me.

I stared at her and then back to Kyra. "But...I still feel like I don't belong here…"

"That's why we're all gonna share who we really are. It's time that you really meet the Aesma-Daeva branch." Kyra told me.

We all walked home and sat down in the living room everyone was quiet and seemed tense. Nobody felt one hundred percent comfortable talking about their past.

"...So should I go first?" I asked.

"Yes Shiro. Please do share your story with us." Kyra said.

I sighed. "Well as you guys already know, my name is Shiro Tatsugami. I was the prince of Hazen Reach and was unfortunately born without the abilities that should've passed down to me from my father. I sucked with magic, I wasn't very good with many weapons, I never got the power of the Hazen Lords and I was a fucking idiot. A straight pain in the ass for my dad and little sister. I constantly got into trouble and even stole the kingdom's most prized possession."

"YOU STOLE THE DARK LITHIUM SHARD?!" Gracia shouted.

"Yeah...I heard that it'd give anyone god like abilities...I couldn't have been more wrong. I ate the shard and it fused with my body. This not only did nothing for me, but I was also hated amongst my people. I was put on trial again and nearly executed until my father stepped in. My relationship with him was strained due to my dumb tendencies. He probably died hating me for causing him such headaches. My sister looked up to me...but I lied to her. I told her that I was something that I wasn't. If she knew that I was a fraud, she'd hate me too…"

"What about your mother?" Kyra asked.

"...What about my mother?"

"Well...You kinda left her out of the equation." Helena huffed.

"...I don't know. I never really got to meet her. There's too many conspiracy theories that say that she was banished from the kingdom or that she died. I dunno what's real or not. All I know was that my father never spoke of her to me."

Gracia gave me a long hard stare. I couldn't tell what she was thinking about. She seemed perplexed by her hardened face.

"What about your other friends. What were they like?" Kyra asked.

"Well, there was Isabel who was a real nice girl. She was as kind as can be. Especially since she was the princess of the vampires. It was weird because even though she didn't eat much, she was also a great cook. Pretty good healer too. Then there was Gabby…" Even her name hurt to say out loud.

"Who was she? You never seem to talk much about her." Kyra said.

"Well she was kinda the first real girl that I had a crush on. I'd be a complete dingus and she'd punch my face in and glare at me with her pretty eyes…"

"Do you...like it when girls hit you?" Kyra asked with small blush.

"What?! No! It wasn't like that! It was just our dynamic. I dunno. She'd be all cute and hostile and I kinda liked that about her. The way she was all tomboyish. She was dealing with a lot of grief when her uncle died. I guess in that moment, her and I began to connect. She was the one that put knots in my stomach just by looking at me. I really did like her. Part of me still does...Too bad she doesn't feel that way about me anymore…"

"Why? What happened?" Naomi asked.

"She met someone new. The guy that killed me is her new crush. By now, they've probably already got it in!" I sighed.

"That's pretty cold." Helena snickered.

"Yeah...The bastard was a cryomancer...That ain't gonna happen again though! I'm gonna get stronger and learn how to use this damn dracomancer stuff. I should also practice with this vengeance crap that Death gave me."

Everyone looked at each other for a moment. Kyra was the first to speak.

"Well...Who's up next?"

"Any volunteers before I start picking?" Kyra said.

Vauz sighed before standing up. "I was born a demon and raised to serve Lord Schepulturath and Lady Kyra of the Aesma-Daeva family. I am her chef and personal care taker. That is my life and my main purpose."

"Straight forward…" I muttered.

Kyra smiled. "Thank you Vauz. You've been a wonderful person in my life. I owe you so much."

"Think nothing of it milady."

"Who's next?" Kyra asked.

"I'll go!" Naomi said cheerfully. She walked over to me and sat on my lap. I almost threw her off by accident. "Okay Shiro, listen very closely. You already are familiar with Haruka Blade so I don't have to explain what he's all about."

"R...right…"

"So growing up, my mother was a geisha for the shine of Haruka. My father was a temple guardian in Wudai. He took care of all the affairs that involved worship for the legendary hero. When I was a small girl, I'd always watch how my parents praised this mysterious man. I never understood what was so special about him until I saw him fight against possessed shinobi warriors. His speed, his strength, his attitude...It was all so overwhelming. Not to mention the sword that he'd come back and wield every time he appeared. He was incredible in every way. All my life, I wanted to talk to him in person. I always dreamed of seeing him and his cool sword again."

"Well I don't know so much about seeing Haruka but if you ever want to hold the sword…" I grabbed it and held it towards her. "Then be my guest."

"No...I can't touch it. It's sacred. Only the greatest ninja warriors can hold it!" She said frantically.

I simply stared at her with a grin. "Don't sweat it. I can't even unsheath the damn thing let alone use it yet. Go ahead." I swear to god if she pulls the blade out…

She grabbed the weapon and ogled it with total interest. "It's so beautiful…Oh man, if my parents found out about me touching this, they'd kill me!"

"Oh yeah, how did you end up in hell?" I asked.

"Well you see, I had grown ill and couldn't be treated properly. I died at a young age and Kyra offered for me to stay here when I was lost. in return, I serve as her right hand."

"Oh wow. That's pretty cool of you Kyra."

Kyra smiled. "It's what was the best choice. I had desperately wanted a friend and Naomi seemed like a great choice."

"We've been besties since we were like six years old! She taught me how to use my demonic powers and showed my the fun side of Hell." Naomi winked.

"Sure did." Kyra said before walking over to me and sitting extremely close to me. "Anyone else volunteering?"

"Hmm...Why don't you go on ahead Helena." Kyra ordered more so than asked.

The small blonde haired girl sighed. "I'm the daughter of the norse god Baldur. I was blessed with unimaginable raw strength. Unfortunately my father felt as though I wasn't deemed to live in his world due to my mortal blood, so he killed me instead. This lead to Kyra finding my soul and helping me hone my skills."

"Your dad was a god?!" I said with widened eyes.

Helena rolled her eyes. "Yes and my mother was a human…"

"So...You're like a demigod, right?"


	34. The Cultivation of Ice

(SHIRO'S POV)

"SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!" Screamed a helpless woman.

I jumped up in the air with my large black sword in my hand. "Inertia!" I shouted while my soul energy flared up. I sliced the ruthless demon in half and landed right in front of the woman as she held her crying child. "That takes care of that." I grinned.

"Oh thank you so much young man!" She said.

"No sweat! I live for dishing out demonic beatdowns." I said to her. I then noticed the others landed down by me and with unsatisfied looks.

"Nice going smartass…" Helena grumbled.

"Why the hell did you run ahead?!" Vauz yelled.

"Relax guys. I took the chump down in one mighty swing of my badass sword. All it took was some soul energy."

Kyra stomped up to me and gave me a hard smack. "You also made us lose our only lead on the rest of his crew! Not only that, but you also stripped me away from claiming another tempered soul!"

"ALRIGHT!" I yelled defensively. "Look...I might've went a little overboard, but that's just because I don't really know how to control my own strength all that well."

Helena scoffed. "Explain shithead."

I sighed. "Soul energy is like my substitute for mana. I use it to buff me up and stuff. It's extremely potent and can be real versatile. The only is that...I don't really know how to trigger it's other uses."

Nyne looked me over and raised a brow at me. "Soul energy is a forbidden form of power. It draws power from the lost souls that are trapped in Limbo. Do you realize that you're connected to the bridge between Heaven and Hell?!"

"...Nope!" I said.

"Dude! You should try entering Limbo! Maybe you'll be able to learn some cool new moves." Gracia said.

"Perhaps...Only one problem. I don't know how to cross over…" I shrugged

"Maybe we should kill you and send you there ourselves." Helena snickered.

I glared at her. "Not funny."

"Who was joking?" She smirked.

Kyra placed a finger under her chin. "Have you tried meditation?"

"I'll! Not meditation! It's so boring!" I groaned.

"It might be the only real way to get you there."Vauz said.

Naomi hugged me from behind and moved her lips to my ear. "I know a lot about meditating. I couldpersonallyhelp you out if you would like."

"Shiro doesn't need your help Naomi! He's already got me." Kyra huffed.

"But the monks of Wudai specialized in meditation. I'm more suitable to help him out than you are."

Kyra glared. "He's not going with you!"

"Why don't we let him choose?" Naomi suggested.

They both looked at me with harsh, threatening looks. "Um...Well, if Naomi says that she can help me and is good with it then I guess I can let her try."

Kyra glared and folded her arms and looked away. "Fine!"

"Oh would you relax Kyra. He just knows that I can REALLY help him with this." Naomi giggled. She grabbed my hand and smiled at me. "Come on Shiro. We should get back to the palace. There's a special place that I like to go to in order to meditate."

"Alright, sounds good." I nodded.

She sprouted her black demon wings and lifted off of the ground. "Hold on tight."

"Got it."

(ZERO'S POV)

WE CAN'T HELP YOU!" A man screamed. Half of his body was encased in ice.

"I think you can. I'm looking for a man named Vaku. It's said that he frequently roams around this area. You tell me, and I let you go."

"I...I don't know! Nobody knows where he goes! He's called the Phantom of the west for a reason! He's just tricky to find!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Well if you're not gonna talk then I guess you'll just have to die where you stand." I moved my hand towards his face and watched the frost slowly spread around him.

"GET BACK!" Yelled a man in the back of the bar. A bright green beam of energy flew by me, forcing me to step away.

"Ah, so you're finally here! I've been waiting to see you for some time now." I said with a wicked smile.

"...Look at you...You're all grown up now." The black haired man said with a bitter tone. He was wearing a black coat with white trimmings and had no shirt under it. His black pants were loose and his boots were white.

"Yes! I've grown a lot since you last saw me. I'm not the same sniveling child that you wanted dead!" I yelled as I shot forth a barrage of ice shards. He phased through them and struck me in the gut. I flew back and hit the wall behind me.

"WRONG! You are still a little brat with more power than you know what to do with! Your death will be what puts balance to this world!" Vaku shot another green beam at me.

I lifted up a large wall of ice to block it but the ice shattered and the beam hit me head on. I dropped down and hissed at the burning sensation in my chest. "Bastard!" I slammed a hand on the ground and watched Vaku's feet freeze to the floor. I stood up and lifted a hand. A large, glowing snowball formed above me. "GO TO HELL!" I threw it down and watched it detonate into a wintery explosion.

This didn't do much to Vaku. He went intangible and flew at me. "You can't win if you can't hit me!"

"We'll see." My eyes glowed a deep blue color. "You have valuable information that I want to know. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make you talk."

"Is that a fact?"

"It is, you rotten piece of trash!" Cold winds swirled around me as my mana slowly rose to the next level. "I'll make sure you don't escape like the last time we met."

"You caught me off guard the last time we met. You will not do so again!" Vaku glared.

"We'll see…" I stared him down, waiting for him to initiate any sort of attack.

He looked at me and clapped his hands together, creating a shockwave that pushed me through a wall. I rolled outside and glared at him. He jumped out and sent a green blast at me. I made a wall of ice to shield myself.

"You can't hide behind that worthless ice forever, boy!" He pushed more energy into the ice, slowly cracking it in the process.

I desperately tried to keep the ice up. My attempts failed and I lost control of the struggle. The ice shattered and I was hit head on by the blast. My arms were burning and I felt nothing but sheer pain.

I lifted myself up with a frozen pillar. I stared down my opponent once again. "You don't know who your fighting, do you?"

"A snot nosed brat that's in way over his head!" The man yelled.

"Tch...Wrong!" I lifted my hand to the sky. Winter storm clouds swirled around the air above. "Let the cold lay waste to those that disobey my frozen majesty!" Within seconds a blizzard formed in the area. "Hail to the winter king! Bow to the frosted sky and shiver beneath my might!"

"Hmph...What nonsense…"

"Fear the power of cryomancy! Ward of Frost: Furīzu Zettaireido!" I swiped my hand to the side and watched as a huge wave of ice moved towards Vaku.

"How is this even possible?!" He yelled before lifting his hands up to attempted to block.

(SHIRO'S POV)

"Calm down Shiro! You're way to tense!" Naomi scolded.

"I'm trying but...It's really difficult to focus when your boobs are pressed up against my back." I said.

"Just relax. They won't hurt you Shiro." She giggled.

"Geez...Look, they're just a little distracting, okay."

She pressed them even harder against my back and smiled. "kmIf you want to grab a feel then by all means, go right ahead." She slowly licked the edge of my ear and giggled sexily.

"GAH!" I shrieked and jumped back.

"Cut it out Naomi!" Kyra screamed from behind us.

"Alright...Shiro, just relax and focus your inner peace. Close your eyes and let your spiritual self free." Naomi said softly.

"Focus...focus...focus…" I hummed. I closed my eyes and let the inner essence of my spirit free. The soul energy surrounded me and lifted me off of the ground. My mind was blank and I couldn't feel anything. That's when it had happened.

I snapped my eyes open to see a vast landscape of floating spirits. All were the souls that were lost and stuck in Limbo. The sky was a bright purple, and the river next to me had an odd, white liquid flowing in it. The trees were glowing with bright pink and purple leaves. It was such a bizarre place to be in but I somehow felt...drawn to it.

I looked around as I started walking in a random direction. The spirits were all so static with their movements. They didn't speak, nor did they interact with me. They just stared at me as I continued walking around.

"Well ain't this unexpected? The shitbird kid that I blessed a while back!" Yelled a seemingly familiar voice.

"Who said that?" I asked around.

"You don't remember me? Think back to that alleyway on Xeno's island." The voice said.

"...Wait a second...You're that Tomix guy!" I shouted.

"Ding ding ding! Give the lucky winner a prize!" The white haired man with brown skin and a scar running horizontally across his face revealed himself. "Tomix Rippendum aka Tom the Ripper aka Tommy Ripz has graced your presence." He said mockingly.

"What are you doing here?! How are you here?!" I asked.

"Duh! Same way you made it here dick for brains! I am the OG soul weaver so...Yeah! I can access Limbo whenever I want." He said.

"Soul weaver. You've said that before and yet I still don't really understand it." I grumbled.

"What's there to understand?" He lifted a hand and showed his now glowing, purple hand. "I draw power from the souls that have been forever lost to this place. This is what you've been doing whenever you power up to increase your speed and strength."

"Okay…"

"However, you've only tapped into about a fourth of what this power really is. You may have pulled off a few neat tricks, but it all comes down to whether or not you're willing to do what it takes to win a fight." Tomix said.

"What do you mean by 'whatever it takes' dude?"

"You don't have to just take from Limbo. You can take from the living world as well."

My eyes widened. "But then I'd be killing people, right?"

"Hey. It's what you gotta do. Living souls are much more powerful than lost souls. Once you can take somebody's soul, you'll really be able to let loose." He grinned.

"I don't know...That just seems so...over the top…" I sighed.

"Maybe...Maybe not...Nobody ever said it'd be your only option. It's just your best option."

"Damn...I don't know dude."

"Well why don't you just take a quick peek at your friends. They seem to be growing more and more everyday while you dick around."

He showed me multiple different images. One was Clyde practicing his ice magic, another was Isabel using her vampiric abilities and another was Gabby punching solid rock with her bare fists.

"They're all getting so much more powerful. Here I am still the same as before. I can't believe I let it come to this!"

"You've got my powers kid. Just use em'!" Tomix said.

"Right...I won't hold anything back anymore. I'll get stronger no matter what it takes. I won't die. Not again."

"Good because you dying in the afterlife will put you here. You'll be nothing more than fuel for the power that you currently use. You'll cease to exist kid. Just like everyone here." Tomix chuckled.

"That won't happen!" I raised my fist to the sky and absorbed the energy of every lost soul into my body.

It felt strange yet...oddly familiar to me. I liked the rush that it gave me. The power. It was begging to be let loose. I had to make it burst. I had to let it out!

"There you go!" Tomix clapped.

"GRRRRRRAAAAAAHHH!"

My eyes snapped open and I was back in Hell with all of my comrades. Naomi was sitting across from me with a smile on her face.

"You did it Shiro!" She praised.

"No...Not yet." I told her.

I stood up and let the countless souls from limbo enter my core. I breathed in and out slowly. The soul energy swirled throughout my veins. It grew more and more potent with each passing second. My body felt light. It felt...Free!

"Shiro, what's happening to you?!" Kyra asked with concern in her voice.

"Nothing I regret." I closed my eyes and saw Tomix standing with a smirk on his face.

"You feel that? kid? All that untamed power...It's all yours. Feel the wickedness clawing its way out of your body. Embrace it!" He shouted.

"It feels...Good…" I said to myself.

"Yes...Let it build up and release!"

I let out a violent yell as my power exploded. A wild gust of wind pushed everyone back. It felt good. The intense amount of strength that surged through my veins was exhilarating. It was amazing. Almost too amazing. I wasn't sure why but there was something deep down inside that seemed...sinister to say the least. Feeling unsure I decided to power down and keep myself at bay.

When I opened my eyes, I saw everyone staring with differing looks. Kyra placed a hand on my shoulder before speaking.

"Shiro I don't know what the hell that was all about, but please be careful. That aura you're giving off doesn't feel safe. It's twisted. Borderline chaotic. Just promise me that you'll take it easy with all that soul stuff."

"Ah, c'mon Kyra! I'm me! I got this. Just watch. I'll tame it and make it my own power."

She nodded. "I'll hold you to that."

"Trust me! Shiro Tatsugami is a man of his word...When he wants to be…"

(ZERO'S POV)

"Quit running and fight me you fucking coward!" I shouted.

"You're far outmatched you sad little bastard."

"And you're and asshole!"

"You'll perish for ever even thinking about challenging me!" Vaku phased in front of me and grabbed me by the throat. "Between you and me…"He slammed me into the ground once more. "Your poor old mother wasn't really the kindest lady you know. You know what she said?"

"SHUT UP!"

"She told me that she hated you. She wanted you dead. That's why she left you all alone. She left you out in the cold to DIE!" Vaku chuckled darkly.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" I reached out and grabbed his neck. Ice quickly formed from my handed and crept across his skin.

He grinned and phased out of it. "Pointless!" He smashed his foot against my face, sending me to the floor.

"You're done for brat!" He lifted me up by my hair and smirked in my face. "Any final words?"

"Yeah...NOW ZERO!" I yelled.

Out of nowhere, an ice clone appeared and stabbed the man straight through his chest with a sword made of ice.

"GAH!" He choked as the blade slid right out of his left lung. "B...but how?!"

"While you were shit talking. Only takes me a second to make a clone of myself."

Vaku dropped to his knees and held the bleeding hole in his chest. It was now my turn to smirk.

"You...can't just...let me die Zero…"

"Tch...Fine. Tell me what I wanna know and I'll stop the bleeding." I said.

"Your mom is in the Lost Isle. She said something about finding Nirvana. I don't know what the hell she was going on about! She was delusional! Everyone thought that she was a fucking nut job! She left for that place after you were born. She could be dead right now!"

"Then I'll just have to go and see for myself." I turned around and started walking away.

"H...HEY! YOU SAID THAT YOU'D HELP ME!"

"...I guess that we're both assholes now…See ya Vaku."

"FUCK YOU ZERO! FUCK YOU!"

I walked outside and summoned Koriju. He looked at me with all four heads with confusion.

"How far are you able to fly?"

"For you, the ends of the Earth." The middle two heads spoke.

I couldn't help but crack a grin. "You are too kind old friend."

"Might I ask what the occasion would be."

"We must find the Lost Isle. Someone may be there for me. I need to see them as soon as possible."

The frost hydra seemed concerned by his master's wishes.

"Zero please reconsider. We may end up wasting our time with this. The Lost Isle is often referred to as a myth. Only one man wasbelievedto have found it. It could be anywhere. We would most certainly pass before we find such a place. What even brought you to this point? Why go through the trouble of searching for this place?"

I sigged. "It's apparently where my mother went to. She want to reach Nirvana. At least that's what Vaku said."

"Ah, I see...Well then we are with you Zero. We'll find this place together."

I smiled. "I knew I could count on you!"

"Now for the final concern of this journey…" The two right heads spoke.

I was now confused. "What's the issue?"

"It involves a certain someone." The left two said.

"Who Gabby?" I asked.

The four heads nodded simultaneously. "You two have grown quite close. It's honestly refreshing to see you opening up to someone else." The front right head spoke.

"She's very attractive and strong. I've never really had these kinda feelings before. She makes me...happy…"

"I could tell. That is why I wish to know if she will be joining us on our journey." Koriju's front left head asked.

"I'm not sure if I should ask her to come. It won't be a fun adventure. She could get hurt or worse…"

"Do you not believe in her capabilities?"

"It's not that...I just...Look I need to go talk with her before deciding on what to do." I told him.

"Then hop on and let's go." He said to me.

"Right. Let's go."


	35. A Different Kind of Trial

(SHIRO'S POV)

The big bastard swung at me twice only for me to effortlessly dodge him both times.

"Wow you are a complete loser! You're all big but you damn sure aren't tough!"

"STAY STILL!"

He attempted another large swing that I front flipped right over. "Sorry dude but that ain't gonna work on me." He swung again. "WOW YOU ARE SUCH A COMPLETE BITCH!" I yelled before blowing out a stream of purple flames. He fanned them away with ease and stomped towards me with bloodlust in his eyes.

"I will crush you to dust!" He slammed his hand down on me with a ferocious snarl. "Die puny fool!"

"Useless ass dracomany!" I lifted myself up and charged up some good old fashioned soul energy and pushed his beefy hand off of me.

"You won't stop me! I am Gorr!"

"You are a big fat pain in the ass! Now do me a solid and die already!" I yelled.

He grabbed me and lifted me to his large red face. "You are nothing to me. After I kill you, I'll rip your skin off and present it to Lady Kyra as a parting gift." He applied more pressure to his iron grip on me, slowly crushing my ribcage.

"Wow your breath stinks! Do they not have mouthwash in hell?! I guess bad breath is what make it hell…" He squeezed tighter. "GAH! Bad touch!"

"I wonder where your guts will spill out from." He smirked.

"Bastard! I'll send your ass straight to limbo!" I forced one of my hands out from his grasp and lifted it up above me. "FANNY PACK STYLE!" One of my trusty old daggers appeared from a portal and fell into my opened hand. I flung the sharp blade right in his large demonic eye. He dropped me and held his gushing wound while howling with pain.

"MY EYE! YOU STRUCK MY EYE!"

"Yep! I'll even do you a favor and stab the other one. Even you out a little bit. Free of charge!"

"DAMN YOU! I SWEAR TO LUCIFER YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE YOU FOOLISH LITTLE WORM!" He thrusted his hand at me only to miss completely.

"HOW'S ABOUT YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I shouted at the large demon before me.

"You insignificant brat! You know not of who you are speaking to!" The one eyed demon swung his huge mallet down on me.

I lifted up my still sheathed blade and blocked the hit. "Heh, that all you got? If so then you're in big trouble my good sir." I pushed his attack back and grabbed the handle of my legendary sword. "Time to unleash the power once belonging to the legendary hero Haruka Blade! GO HANZUNAME DRAGON BLADE!"

"WHAT?!" He stood there as I attempted to pull out the blade.

"...C'mon goddamnit!" I tugged harder and harder. "GO HANZUNAME DRAGON BLADE!"

"Son of a bitch! Why won't you let me use you?!"

"Heh...Heheheheh! You will die even with that all powerful sword!" He chuckled.

"I said, GO HANZU MOTHERFUCKING DRAGON PIECE OF SHIT BLADE!"

"DIE!" He took another swing at me only to stop and drop to the floor with his head separated from his body.

Kyra landed next to me with a blood soaked hand and a disappointed look. "Geez Shiro! You can't keep trying to use that thing in the middle of a battle!"

"Yeah dipshit. You're gonna end up dead long before your tiny little mind can even process how to work it." Helena scoffed with her arms crossed.

"Aw gimme a break you guys! I really wanna get this to work. I can't fall behind Clyde or the cold asshole that put me down here!"

Naomi smiled and hugged me from behind. "It's not all bad. You've still got all of us down here with you."

"Yeah dude! You'll totally get it down. Just give it some time." Gracia smiled.

Nyne crouched down and observed me from head to toe. "You physique has in fact been enhanced since your last battle. You are in fact growing quite a bit."

"Sorry guys but I don't have much time to just take it easy. You guys don't know Clyde. The douchebag won't stop something when he really puts his mind to it."

Viz stood next to me and sighed. "Look man, it's time for you to just take things in a more meaningful stride. You gotta focus on one thing at a time."

"Like what exactly?"

"Hmm...Well your sword clearly doesn't like you all that much so why not practice your boosted soul energy power junk. Or your necromancy which you for some odd reason never use! Your dracomancy needs a ton of work so that could be a good start. Or you could train your loveable talking contracted wolf familiar! I personally like the last option and would highly recommend it."

"Yeah! Maybe you're on to something you little shit flake! I'll master my dracomancy powers and use them to kick ass so that this sword will have no choice but to listen to me! Hell, I'm gonna go train up right now!"

Kyra grabbed my arm. "That'll have to wait Shiro. We are scheduled for a meeting with the other Devil factions."

"What?! But that sounds boring as hell!" I groaned.

Gracia laughed. "That's because it kind of is."

Kyra pressed her hand to the floor. A large red pentagram appeared below us. "Shiro, please be on your best behavior."

I glared. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Before I got an answer, we all vanished and appeared in a large room with a long table in the center. The room reminded me of my first meeting with the Aesma-Daeva group.

Many people there were faces that I had never seen before though some were familiar. It was still pretty nerve wracking to say the least.

"So it looks like you got dragged into this mess too." Dub said with a grin.

"Unfortunately. I didn't even have time to run off." I laughed.

"Yeah, Theta pretty much tied me up. I freaking hate these damn meetings."

"This is my first one…"

He snickered. "Give it time. You'll hate it as much as I do eventually."

"Kyra. It's so good of you to join us." An older man in black robes said with a smile.

"Greetings Urotok." She said back to him with a light bow.

Urotok seemed like a kind old man. That was pretty refreshing to see. His positive attitude made me crack a smile. The smile wouldn't last though.

"Why hello again my sweet! So good to see you again." Gideon said as he walked up and kissed her forehead. The disgust on Kyra face made me both amused and pissed off. My hatred instantly came back.

I took a step forward in order to deck his jaw in but Helena grabbed my sleeve and glared at me. "Don't even try it Romeo."

"What?! You actually support this shit?!"

"Of course not moron, but I've got no choice. Gideon could kill us all if he wanted to. No point in getting on his bad side. Kyra knows what she's doing."

"What a load of crap…" I grumbled.

Gideon walked around our little gang and smirked. "Ah, such a lovely sight. All of you understanding your place." He stopped and looked at me. I did my best to avoid eye contact knowing damn well the I still had a glimmer of hatred in them. "Well looky here. The weak bodyguard came along for the ride. How cute."

Vizeron snarled at him from the ground. I simply balled up my fists. "Hello again...Gideon."

"Fool!" He backhanded me across my face."That's Lord Gideon to you."

My eyes shifted colors for a brief moment. I really hated this guy. I wanted to slit his fucking throat for touching me like I was some bitch. "Lord...Gideon…"

He smirked. "Looks like you're somewhat smarter than when we last met. Good for you."

"Sure is…" I growled.

"...Kneel." He demanded.

"Excuse me?"

"Kneel before me pitiful welp. Now!" He said.

"Why should I?"

"Just do it Shiro." Helena muttered.

"Better do as she says. You'll regret it if you don't."

I got down and begrudgingly kneeled to him. "Happy now you spoiled prick?" I heard Gracia lightly giggle from my small insult.

His eye twitched. "Very much so." He slammed his fancy white shoe on top of my head and pressed my face into the ground. His haunting laughter filled my ears. "Head to the floor, bowing down like the absolute buffoon that you are. Filthy low-class."

"Gideon that's enough!" Kyra shouted as she pulled him back.

"Ah but the fun has just started my love!"

"Fuck you…" I growled.

"There you go! That same level of arrogance and incompetence. Here I oh so foolishly thought that you had learned your place. Apparently I misjudged." He smacked his foot across my face, easily breaking my nose.

"GIDEON!" Urotok snapped. "That is quite enough! You leave that boy alone this instant! We must begin the council!"

"Hmph...Looks like our little chat will have to continue another time I'm afraid. Shirley was it?" He spit on me and gave me a shit eating grin before walking towards his seat.

I stood back up and rubbed my bleeding nose. "Goddamn…"

Vuaz held out a handkerchief for me to use. "Take it Shiro."

I nodded and grabbed the white cloth. "Thanks man."

"Ahem!" Urotok cleared his throat. "We will now begin the discussion. Lord Sunnokur you may speak when ready."

The demon was standing with a large set of black, spiky, worn down battle armor. His helmet giving off an intimidating presence.

"Today we must discuss the looming threat of the Holy Alliance. My scouts have reported several Unknown entities lurking by the Netherrealm barrier. Upon further inspection, I had discovered slight damage on multiple sections. I believe this is the result of the angles wishing to wipe us out for good."

Another demon interjected. This demon was none other than Theta who had slammed her hand against the large table. "This is ridiculous! How much more of this are we gonna take?! Demons have done nothing but abide by the treaty between the Nether and Aether realms. They are goading us into war!"

A large man draped in black robes lifted his hand towards the girl that sat beside him. "Hush now Theta. We have no need to make hostile judgment." I noticed his bright orange hair swaying upwards as if it were a dancing flame. His voice was deep and held authority.

"Hades, do you have a suggestion to make?"

"If the angels are feeling confident in their ability to wage war with the demons then that must mean that they have bolstered a higher degree of confidence since our previous battle. This may be due to the aid of my prideful brother Zeus." He said his brother's name with full hatred and resentment.

"Unfortunately for us, my father isn't here to aid us in battle. Not until he returns, and who knows when that'll happen." Kyra said softly.

Gideon let out chuckled. "Why don't we just ask them. Issue a meeting with the All Father and his Holy Trinity. See if we can get answers."

"Who'll be willing to traverse the Death Scape and cross the barrier to the Aether just to deliver the request to those arrogant light wielders?"

"It is a most difficult task that will most likely result in a casualty." Urotok sighed.

I clenched my fist. "I thought that demons couldn't cross into the Aether." I spoke.

"We can't...by any normal means. However, there is an ancient artifact that can allow the wearer to temporarily pass through unharmed." Theta responded.

"Seems simple enough."

Hades smirked. "A confident one. You think it to be a simple task going into the gates of Heaven as a singular demon. You'd be killed on the spot."

I paused and thought about it for a moment. Haruka's father told me that there is someone in the Aether that can help me understand my dracomancy. This could be my chance to step ahead of the game!

"I'll do it."

"Shiro! Absolutely not!" Kyra shouted with disapproval.

"I can do this Kyra. Trust me on this one."

"No Shiro! You are MY bodyguard and therefore you are to do as I say! You're staying away from the angels!"

Gideon smirked. "I say let him do as he pleases Kyra. If he wants to do it than who are we to stop him?"

"Be silent Gideon!" She yelled harshly, catching him off guard. She stood up and jabbed her finger at my chest. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into Shiro! This isn't your job nor is it your concern!"

I put my hands on her shoulders and grinned. "Kyra it'll be okay. I got somethings I need to learn anyway. This just seems like the best option. I'll be fine. You gotta let me go."

I could see the tears welling up in her eye and a wave of guilt hit me down deep. She shoved me back and turned her head away from me. "Fine! Go out there and die all over again! If that's really what you want."

Naomi held her closely. "Kyra settle down. I think he can do it."

"Damn right he can, because I'M going with him!" Viz shouted from the ground.

Everyone looked at the talking wolf. "What?! No way Viz! I got this one on my own."

"Nice try beta male! I'm sick of you treating me like an afterthought! You aren't the only one trying to get back at someone! I need to toughen up too!"

"By all means! Bring the mutt. You'll need some form of company." Gideon laughed.

I rolled my eyes and knelt down. "Are you sure about this?"

"I can handle myself! Plus, who's gonna save YOUR ass?"

I looked down at him. "Don't get all cocky on me now!" I smirked.

He gave me a toothy grin. "Yeah whatever…"

"Well I suppose that it's settled then. The boy will be going to the Aether Realm to deliver the request." Hades spoke with an amused tone.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "The name is Shiro Tatsugami and don't you forget it!"

"Well Shiro, if you do in fact somehow make it back alive, I will very much acknowledge your presence."

"Challenge accepted!" I nodded.

"Well it's settled then. Shiro Tatsugami and his wolf of the Aesma-Daeva branch will be handling the delivery." Urotok spoke. Everyone except for Kyra and Dub nodded. "Then this discussion is adjourned. Everyone is dismissed. Shiro, you're trip will begin tomorrow so be prepared."

I nodded my head. "Got it."

After all that, we all disappeared and made it back to our own house. Kyra wasted no time storming off inside. Her fists were balled up and I could see a stray tear fall from her face.

"Dude! You probably should go talk to her. She seems real upset." Viz muttered.

"Yeah you're probably right. I'll go see what's up. You go get some sleep." I told him.

"Alright beta male. Good luck."

I wasted no time and quickly walked down to Kyra's room. I knocked a couple of times but got no answer.

"Kyra it's me Shiro! Can you please just open the door?"

"Leave me alone Shiro!" She shouted.

"Kyra please! Just let me talk to you."

"..." She said nothing but still ended up opening the door. Her bright red eyes looked right into mine. I felt a little bad about making her cry like that. I wasn't an asshole, but I guess she thought otherwise.

"Can I please come in Lady Kyra?"

"..." She still said nothing but did incline to step aside, letting me in.

I sat down on her large bed while she folded her arms and leaned against the wall. I thought about what I would say before ultimately deciding just to wing it.

"Kyra you gotta understand that I'm not leaving you for good nor do I really want to. I'm doing this for three different reasons. The first is so that I can learn a technique that I have yet to perfect.

"Then just let us help you Shiro!"

I shook my head. "You can't. This isn't something that I can just practice and then be good at. I have to learn the power of dracomancy from an actual Dragon and to even find this Yul place that they live, I have to speak to another dracomancer. One of which is in the Aether. Apparently her name is Dominique Gliss."

Kyra's eyes widened. "The server of St. Joseph?! Have you completely lost your mind?!"

"What?"

"She's a Saint's angel! That means that she is apart of the All Father's Holy Knights!"

"So?"

She glare at me. "You're a demon now! She kills demons! It's her job!"

"...Oh, so that is pretty bad."

She deadpanned. "Yes Shiro. It is pretty bad."

"Well I still gotta try. She's one of three options that I have and actually know about."

She sighed. "I still don't approve of that but go on. You said you had three reasons."

"The second is because of what Hades was talking about. You guys may in fact be going to war. My future self told me about this. Apparently I'm supposed to fix it. I'm not too sure how though."

"Wait, slow down. Your future self? How did that even happen?"

I shrugged. "My future evil half tried to kill him so he used time magic to escape back here."

"Oh...Well that's definitely...something."

"My third and final reason for going is kind of a personal one. I'm honestly hoping to find my father or my little sister. If my father isn't in Heaven then I know for a fact that Maddie is. She was the sweetest little girl in the world. She just has to be there."

"Shiro...The odds of her still being there are quite slim. Heaven has changed a lot in recent times. Angels aren't the same symbols of good. It might not be what you were expecting."

"Even so, I'm still going."

She sat next to me and grab my hand. "If you really do feel this strongly about it then I guess I really can't stop you."

"You're worrying too much about me. I can handle this."

"..." She went silent for a moment. I looked down at her and saw the shade of red on her cheeks.

"Hey are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine Shiro." She laid down on the bed and tugged me down with her.

"What's happening?" I asked her.

She took my arm and draped it over her waist. "Nothing. I'm tired."

"B-but why am I-"

"Hush now Shiro." She said softly.

She backex up against me and sighed with content. My hand rested on top of hers as she dozed off. He smooth black hair was right in my face.

I couldn't help the smile that made its way onto my face as I too fell asleep.

(CLYDE'S POV)

"I believe that you have finally done it Clyde. I'm impressed by how fast you were able to learn that technique. Even I took about a week to perfect that one."

I panted heavily while still on my knees. "Thanks...master…"

"You have far exceeded my expectations Clyde. Never in my entire existence have I seen such raw potential. The closest being my previous disciple. I fully understand why Xeno praises you so heavily."

I nodded. "Thank you master."

He smiled at me which took me by surprise. "Clyde, I have no more techniques to show you. The rest is up to you now. You will have to grow on your own. As you know, cryomancy is a very versatile form of magic. While it lacks the intense power of pyromancy, it more than makes up for it with its utilities. You can now wield both."

"I still need more practice though. I still can't regulate my mana to accommodate for the shift in balance. It's too much strain on my body." I told him.

He nodded. "I remember my father telling me about him dealing with a similar issue when mastering his abilities. You will learn how to tame your mana in time. For now, let us relax and enjoy a bit of rest. Your companion is waiting inside for you from what I can tell."

"My companion? Oh you mean Isabel?"

"Yeah that's it. I can tell that you two are quite close to one another."

"Well we've been friends for years now so I guess you could say that." I shrugged.

"Do not become blind to your own desires Yukio. Let her know."

I shook my head in denial. "I can't. Not until I'm sure about a few things first."

"So long as you do not wait too long. You'll be fine."

"If you say so master."

"Well then, shall we head inside?" Xeto asked before walking towards his home.

I looked up and noticed a large beast flying up high above the clouds. I was able to sense two beings.

"...Where are they going?" I wondered as both Gabby and Zero flew past.

(TATSU'S POV)

"Goddamn those sneaky sons of bitches!" I growled.

"Now do you see why this needed to be done. They were horrible people." Eliza said back.

I looked at the hundreds of bodies that piled up all around us. "Holy shit we went overboard…"

"Relax! This was very much necessary. Now my people have food for the next couple of weeks! That and all this new territory!"

"Yeah, I can't really feel all that good about feeding a city of thieves after slaughtering an entire civilization."

"Well too bad. What's done is done. Now we can head back and give my father the good news."

"Good isn't exactly what I'd call-" A sudden jolt of pain shot through my body. My head pounded aggressively.

"Hey what's the matter?" She asked.

I pushed her back and fell to my knees. "Damn! Something's wrong. I can't shake this odd feeling from inside of me!"

"The hell are you talking about?"

I slammed my fist into the ground. "It's Mutagenesis. I know it! He's trying to pull me back into my real timeline." My body started to fade in and out of reality.

"What do we do then?!"

I summoned my scythe and handed it to her. "Hold onto that for a moment."

"Yeah sure, but why?"

"Just wait…When I cast my spell you need to slice off my head." I snatched the long and sharp dagger from the holster on her thigh and stabbed myself in the chest.

"TATSU!"

"Don't worry. Just be ready!" I coughed a bit before muttering a few words. "Ward of Time: Clockwork Rewind!"

She swung the scythe down and instantly decapitated me. Right as my head hit the floor time went backwards and stalled when it hit five minutes into the past.

Eliza stood there, partially disturbed by what had just happened. "What the actual fuck?!"

"He had me. He found me and tried to drag my soul back to that world. I had to stab myself in order to spill my blood in this world. You cutting off my head broke me from his grasp. All I had to do was go back a few minutes to undo it all."

"That's so fucked up."

"This coming from the one that didn't just die."

She rolled her eyes at me. "How did he get a hold of you anyway?!"

"He has the soul weaving abilities. With how strong he's gotten over the last few years, I'm not surprised that he'd be able to reach across different dimensions just to get me."

"Around what time did you two split?"

"After the whole war between Heaven and Hell."

She frowned. "And where is present Shiro now?"

"He's in Hell...Oh shit!"

"You don't think evil you is tryna recreate what happened do you?"

"Not sure. It's still to early to tell but I wouldn't put it past him. This was a difficult time for me. Shiro's gonna have to find away to rewrite these events or things might end up spiraling downward for everyone."

"What a goddamn mess."

This was all starting to look grimmer with each passing second. If Metagenesis wants me outta the picture then he's definitely up to something. I just wish I knew what it was.


End file.
